Brynn's Marching Band Birthday Bash!

Yesterday we celebrated Brynn's fourth birthday. She chose her own theme for the party, and a very creative one at that! She said since her birthday is in March, she wanted a Marching Band party. So she had some friends over, we made drums out of milk cans, flags out of broomsticks and fabric, and partied away! The grande finale was a parade around the house to a CD of some band music. We also played musical chairs, and freeze dance with their flags.
Step by step Brynn had the party all planned out. She informed me the morning of the party that it needed to be outside. While I planned the parade part outside, I hadn't planned for the rest of it to be out there. But it was actually easier anyway. It was about 95 degrees out, but the kids didn't seem to mind. Besides, it was 91 in the living room, so how much better would it really have felt? =)

Here's Brynn playing her drum!

Laney mostly enjoyed waving a flag! That and playing on the swings. She seemed to stick pretty close by when the pizza and cake were being served, though!





Lest you think you are seeing double... there really is only one Elayna. (What would we do with TWO of her!!!) This is Elayna and her "twin" Eliza. They were born the same day, only about an hour apart. They look enough alike that even their parents get them mixed up running on the playground after church. They just happen to be in different families. =) Eliza's family are missionaries out here, and her sister Lydia is Brynn's age. Brynn is sunny little girl, and her delight in her presents was clear! Here she is opening a package of modeling clay from Grandpa and Grandma. (sent out a couple of years ago awaiting this birthday) Do you think she likes it?

Kira enjoyed drumming as well! Most of Brynn's friends are actually closer to Kira's age anyway, so she enjoyed the party as much as Brynn. She didn't like the no presents part though!


For a cake Brynn wanted a marching band ON the cake. I couldn't really come up with a way to do that with my limited cake decorating skills. But upon the suggestion of a drum she starting jumping up and down saying "A drum! A drum!" So I think she was ok with the change, and boy was it a lot easier. If you look carefully you can see you the lollipop drumsticks and the colored icing melted and bled onto the top of the cake. Oh well. Welcome to Niger! =)



In case anyone was scared after the wild hair pictures of Silas, here he is sporting his new "do."
Are kids really supposed to have three haircuts by a year old? Only if they are one of our kids, I guess. Isn't he cute?

Need a haircut? Elayna is available...

This morning the doorbell rang. It was our neighbor, Ibrahim, who cuts our grass, and keeps the yard trimmed for us. He had a lot to say, so Silas and I stood outside for nearly an hour with him. I know better than to leave Elayna unsupervised- EVER- but Ibrahim had a lot to say...

Returning to the house, I found little scraps of paper and markers spread all over the living room. The girls had been doing crafts. While cleaning up the scraps under the kids table I found a lock of long brown hair... then another... and another. I knew it wasn't mine, which left Kira.
I jumped up and asked the girls "WHAT HAPPENED!!!" They said Elayna did it. And they didn't come and get me WHY???? Kira now has a lovely short chunk on the side of her hair. Seeing as I'm scissors challenged I don't think I can improve on it much by trying to fix it. Maybe she'll just have to wear it in a ponytail for the next few months.

If Elayna was going to go scissor happy too bad I had Silas outside. He's the one that could use another haircut right now.




Here is what happened the last time I left Elayna unsupervised while painting to go change Silas' diaper. See I really should know better...

I realized that in Silas' birthday pictures I only showed him enjoying the ice cream. Lest you wonder, he was a big fan of the cake, too!