julia's tenth birthday

 

 Here we have some party guests eating supper.  

 It was quieter out here.

 While the person opens gifts, the little ones get closer and closer until they're all right up touching.

 They raided the costume bins.  That tiger one is really heavy and hot, but he liked it anyway.

 Joe gave haircuts on the patio, which was wonderful.

Here's Jay and Desi:

 He's got on James' old pharaoh costume.

 Yeah, rinsing dog poop off the tire of the new bike.

 Another haircut:

 And the cake--first time we've had purple frosting.

And that's the end of that.  It was a great, wild, loud party, and we haven't had a party in a while, so that was great.

Julia, back when Heidi was a baby, I didn't know if I'd ever have another daughter, so I did it up right, even to the point of sewing little rosebuds to her undershirts.

We did all the hair ribbons and patent leather shoes, even red ones.

 

I never, ever imagined the sheer wild extravagance of being a woman with FIVE daughters.

 

FIVE.

 

And we have done it up right--the Madame Alexander dolls, the tea parties, the fancy braids, the Barbie dolls and all their gear, the ruffled butt tights, no missed opportunities to enjoy all the foolishness and fun of being girls.

You are our maraschino cherry on top of our giant sundae of family, and thank you so much for being our girl--for being an enthusiastic aunt, a fun little sister, a great kid.   You've brought all of us so much happiness, you don't even know.

 

Lucky us, having you.

 

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart.   love, Mom and Dad and EVERYBODY