Emma's Other Parties....

This is a long one.... 

If you're here for scrapbooking, or just don't care that much about my insecurities as a mother, just skim the pictures :)

I'm not sure, but I think Emma's had about 5 birthdays... maybe more. I really thought that I would make Emma's birthday special even though she was born right after Christmas. I was sure her day would never get lost in the shuffle. 

Then we did our usual crazy Christmas schedule... Brad on call for part of the holidays, company visiting us, packing up and heading all over Alberta to visit family.... and it got lost. 

We decided to leave our Christmas presents home because we had so much to pack and she's only one, and she'll get so much while we're gone, she'll never know. 

Then, I woke up on the big day, and felt guilty... I stuck a candle in a muffin at breakfast.

My mom had a great little party planned that night, but it got bumped because the extended family tobogganing party ran long. So we celebrated the next night. It was great! 

Cake, presents, cousins, good times!

We went to Lethbridge and had a really nice little party on New Year's Day with the other side of the family, which GG organized. See those pictures in this blog post. Again, a great time was had by all, especially Emma.

Then, we got home and thought, I guess we should open our presents now. 

Gracie gave Emma her gift,

we had one from a friend

and she got one from Brad and I. Again, lucky!

Then I thought, we'd better have a party with her friends here. Gracie got a party in Edmonton, Emma had better have one, too. 

I planned a party here. 

We had a week at home between our Christmas travels and our trip, so many things were up in the air and there was all kinds of post-Christmas stress, pre-holiday stress and life stress. The night before, getting the last few things, someone ran into my car.... stress. 

But, we had another party!

Friends, cupcakes, banners, party dresses, more presents....

She doesn't look too traumatized.

It was great (despite my family's inability to pose for a photo)!

So, after all that worry about celebrating, the lucky little cutie got 5 parties, and all kinds of well-wishes and presents and cards that she wouldn't have normally received (in person anyway) because we were around all sorts of family and friends. Maybe she didn't make out all that bad!

We made it on our trip, the car is getting fixed (another story), the grey hairs and breakouts were totally worth it...

Next year though, watch out! It won't sneak by. I won't repeat my mistakes. There will be an organized, themed, Emma-parade amidst the Christmas festivities!