8!!!!!!

This little superstar has had an AMAZING 8th birthday. She woke at 530 am and got to have some time chatting in FaceTime with her B. She'd asked for just two things this year- a whole watermelon and a badge. I bought the melon and put a bow on it, wonderful Mrs Pink sent one of her gorgeous handmade badges. I put them out with her birthday breakfast treats of lucky charms and an iced hot fudge pop tart plus a couple of presents. She opened her new leotard and tickets to an opera north workshop. She was over the moon & so appreciative of the words in the two cards. The little lovely thought those were all her presents and was delighted anyway.

She had a good music practice, getting ready for open day at YYM tomorrow and then it was time for band. She came out super excited because she'd been allowed her pick of the tuck shop for a birthday treat. Whilst she was at band, I was doing jobs at home and it was lovely seeing the people who stopped by to drop off cards and gifts for her. I picked her up from band and took her to ballet, where she went in with the biggest grin. She bounced into the studio saying "I got a whole watermelon and I've brought cupcakes!!" She told me after class "I was excited and happy but not silly, mama".

We drove home and she saw that more balloons had appeared at home & I showed her the birthday cake. She realised she had a lovely pile of presents from friends and me to open later on. I got her changed and tidied up before it was time to take her for her birthday meal. Her wonderful aunt and uncle had arranged to take us out for dinner, where we met my parents too. Katie loved having balloons at her chair and beamed when they brought out her birthday cake & everyone sang to her. She curled on my knee after she'd finished and asked to go home, looking rather sleepy. The walk home seemed to give her some renewed energy. She opened all her presents and cards, reading each one and taking time over everything. When her cards were lined up on the piano, she said to me "mama, just look!" The cards mattered to her as much as the presents. Her beautiful little heart just makes me melt.

She hasn't stopped grinning from ear to ear the entire day. She's appreciated every little thing that's happened. She's spent the day doing her favourite things and she's loved it.

Happy 8th Birthday, my beautiful girl xxxxxxxx

(A few extras today!)

Katie at 8
* has lost 5 teeth
* has gained 2.... the top tooth is tormenting us by not cutting
* is 127 cm tall with size 13 feet
* is about to take her g2 RAD ballet exam, also dancing G3 beautifully
* has started & loves a gentle, loving and excellent new ballet school
* had started YYM and has auditioned for the National Children's Orchestras
* is working towards G5 clarinet and G3 piano
* has played on stage at the Royal Albert Hall
* enjoys history and English at school & has her pen licence
* has discovered this year that she avocado, asparagus, marmite and sushi
* has 24 monkeys, including Marvin the hot water bottle
* likes the Bake Off, Lush baths, Lego and writing diaries
* loves Gershwin, Tchaikovsky, Lindsey Sterling, movie soundtracks, Mozart, jazz
*still goes to bed with a cup of warm milk and big mama tuddles & huggies

Love you so much baby xxxx