Across the sky and down from heaven, that's the way we make a 7

Ella's long-awaited birthday PaRtY was last weekend. She was such a sweetie and was really patient and understanding with Mommy's inability to pull off another birthday bash in December. We of course celebrated on her official birthday, but I know she's been anxious and excited to have a party with her girlfriends. That's right, we ushered in a new era by having the 1st ever all girls party. We decided on a party at Polka Dot Pottery, which was also a new thing for us because we've never celebrated the kids' birthdays away from home. But it was really FuN! I tried to think of a theme that encorporated her wintery birthday and painting so...I made snowy mitten invitations and had the pottery place set aside mugs for the girls to paint. The favors revolved around the stay cozy theme***cupcake socks, glittery snowman lipgloss, and hot cocoa, cider and marshmallows to enjoy in the mugs they painted, and some other little treats. Ella was in rare form all day, half stinker, half SwEEt hEaRt. She was embarassed of me because I thought one of her friends was in 2nd grade so I got the "oh Mom" look, which was another first. She giggled, said a couple of potty words which inspired giggles from her friends and glares from me. It was really fun to watch her interact with her girlfriends, and bittersweet to realize how much she's grown and changed. We had lots of snacks, sparkly pink lemonade, brownies, ice cream and cake. I didn't feel any creative juices flowing so I just recreated the same pink and white cake I'd made for her "real" birthday, but made some white chocolate snowflakes ** as a special, wintery touch. And speaking of cake, this cake was a nightmare! Let's just say this isn't my first rodeo, I bake ALL THE TIME! But I've never, ever had a cake crack before, especially after I frosted it! I came up from the basement after watching a Friday night movie with the kids and the pink cake was showing through the yummy, cream cheese icing  ~ it was cracking all over the top, no!!!! It was already decorated so I did my best to patch it and then I prayed. I seriously prayed for that cake, another first. I was so nervous to see what it looked like in the morning, but against the odds, my poor, wounded, birthday confection had survived the night. Now if I can just get it to Polka Dot Pottery in one piece....thank goodness it made it! And the rest is history. It was a special day for my special girl.