...to celebrate Audrey's

...five years!

Who can believe this little lady is five?

How do you make the day special for a five-year-old without going crazy?  Or make it special by keeping it simple?

If you have read anything I have written in the past month, year, or even couple of years, it is clearly evident that this little gal can be a little demanding. 

One might politely say Audrey has vision.

Her 5th birthday party has been planned by her for her with gusto since the day after she turned 4. 

She had visions of a mermaid party at the beach.  Meghan was supposed to provide the watermelon, and I was supposed to make a blueberry cake (who has ever heard of a blueberry cake?!?).

Then, last week, out-of-the-blue she asked me:

Audrey;  Mom who is going to be my distraction?
Me:  Huh?
Audrey:  You know, my distractor!  For my surprise birthday party!!

Oh.  Dear.  The bar was being set pretty high.

Especially since:

The forecast for July 9 was a high of 70 degrees.  With winds gusting from 10-20mph.

For the record, that's not exactly beach weather.

And...Wednesday's are a work day for me.  Given I'm about to take a two month job hiatus, I couldn't exactly call in sick.

The beach was out.

Oh, yes...and parents of the year that Mark and I are, we had no Mermaid birthday themed items.  Purchasing these said items would have taken some pre-planning skills on our part.

No matter.  We thought we could pull off the surprise element she had talked about.

After I finished work, the kids and I decorated the 'surprise room' while Mark distracted Audrey and took her on an errand.

As a side note:  While they were on this errand, Audrey informed Mark that next year, she would like to at least have some streamers!  

We put up signs, balloons, confetti, princess paper products and more balloons...and streamers.  Lots of streamers.

When they returned, we left as a family for dinner at Audrey's choice restaurant...the McDonald's in Watertown, with a big-giant-playhouse.

Yum.

On our trip home, to her surprise, I distracted Audrey by explaining the LaGrange and Morrow kids would not be coming over for cake.  We would only be celebrating as a family.

Awww.  She seemed sad about this information.

Then we arrived home.

Mark and I distracted her again and had her walk into the front door of our home (we usually enter in the side door).

When she walked in, out popped all the Morrow's and the LaGrange's.

SURPRISE!!!

And Audrey...well...she nearly jumped out-of-her-skin.

And jumped into her Dad's arms.  

It took her awhile to recover.

 Still...recovering.

Finally, back to her charming self (she's plugging her ears while we sing to her).  

I think Audrey's birthday party was a success.  It may not have been the party she's been dreaming about all year, but it's one that she'll remember.  She'll remember being surrounded by three families who love and adore her.

She already started planning her sixth birthday party about a month ago.  In case you are wondering, it's an ice skating birthday party (in the middle of July).  

I bet she stipulates there are to be NO surprises.  

I think she may be like her momma with respect to this one quality...