We had 8 girls, including Julia Mattia and Shelby Lynn, overnight this past Saturday to celebrate her 13th birthday. I swear this is the last year we will have a slumber party. (I am pretty sure I said that last year too.) For the most part, it was harmonious, though that took some effort on Julia's part. There were several controllers in the group. I stayed on the periphery and got involved only when asked to.
Aaron devised a treasure-hunt with such cute clues. They had a lot of fun with that and found the treasure chest with bags of candy and stickers for each of them. Pizza, of course, was for supper.
You could hear me passive-aggressively grumbling about picking up candy-wrappers, costumes, and plates and cups after girls. I told them at one point, "I know you don't do this at your own homes," as I held up a sucker stick with a wrapper around it that I picked up off the floor of my living room.
We gave Julia a parakeet - she named him Buddy - a digital camera, and a set of comforters for her bunk beds. Actually, the comforters were not part of the birthday package. She needed new ones; hers were mismatched, juvenile, worn-out, and didn't match her bedroom. With my recent promotion, I am playing catch-up around here with items on my wish list.
She got some nice gifts and took some good pictures with her own camera. They were all asleep by 1am, working hard at that for almost an hour. It took Michael's bellowing out of the room for them to finally settle. One of the girls was picked up at 8:45 am. I made beignets for breakfast. At 10am, we broke out the spinach artichoke dip again. They passed on my corn salsa. I thought it was good.
She asked me what I was doing with a look of disapproval when I was dancing by myself in the kitchen to her music. She was afraid her friends might see me. Sigh. I am now UnCool.
Oh well... I have friends too, and they like me the way I am.
Julia's 13th Birthday party - September 15, 2007
Julia's 13th Birthday party - September 15, 2007
Julia's 13th Birthday party - September 15, 2007
Sounds like a fun party and a fun way to celebrate the entrance into the teen years. Slumber parties are never about the slumber are they?! Still can't believe your baby is a teen. How'd that happen? ;o) Carol
Janine, I always thought Julia looked so much like Michael, but in that picture of her by the parakeet I caught a glimpse of you. Pretty girl! Good for Julia to practice those diplomacy skills. That's the age for all that nit-picking to start.
I thought Julia was the prettiest of the group. That's an honest appraisal and not a grandmother's prejudiced judgment. Who was in the first picture, the big bosom-big behind girl? That was really cute. I'm glad it was such a success.
That's Shelby at the top. She wouldn't have posed like that for me. She's shy with adults, but with her own peers - she's very outgoing. She and Julia are so close. Shelby was the youngest of the crowd. I didn't think Julia should invite her because all of her friends are 7th graders also. Shelby's in the 5th grade. Julia insisted that she wanted Shelby there.
Shelby gave Julia a coconut house w/perch for Buddy, some bird food, and most fun of all - some of Ronda's delicious cookies. Julia loves those. They were set in a cute little metal, smiley face bucket.
Angela, it was fun seeing you and the boys at Julia's volleyball game the other night. Your support compensates for the dumb things I tell her about her playing. I had to apologize to her for the remark I made to her friend and the friend's mother when she was comforting her daughter about her funky playing. Julia played a lot better that night than she had in the previous games. I know - I am a little competitive, but I am a lot better in this season than in the first. I wonder what it would be like to be with a winning team. (Or, to pick a winning candidate in any election, for that matter.)
She's going to have to experiment with the makeup you gave her. Until now, she has only used mascara every now and then, and sometimes a lip gloss. Katie gave her some very pretty eyeshadows too.
I am sure Julia looks more like me than Michael on the inside.
Julia's is doing a science project of growing kidney beans using different watering substances. They are sitting in the window sill by this pc. One of the substances is milk. Those beans are the tallest plants, but peeeyuuuuu. I don't think we'll be able to stand two more weeks of this. I'm outta here.
In one million years I would never have recognized Shelby. That costume and that pose do not jibe with my mental information about her. But it is just a darling picture. Did Julia take it then, since you say she wouldn't pose for you?
Yeah, Julia took the picture with my camera. I am going to have to get her to upload the picture I took with her new camera of all of them in costume. It was cute. I have two big bags of costumes, with shoes and accessories, from Mary Catherine's and Amy's dance revues, and from Grandma Mimi and other sources. The girls loved playing dress up.
From left to right: Christian, Nina, Alexis, Shelby, Haley C., Julia, Haley S., and Diamond.
I just realized that Julia is wearing one of the shirts Elizabeth gave her for her birthday in the above pictures. It looked good on her.
I'm with Mom. I did not recognize Shelby and wouldn't have guessed.