Orianna's sixth birthday and things

Orianna turned 6 a week and a half ago. I had decided to do a post dedicated to the wonderfulness that is my firstborn. But that was before a stray dog decided to wander into the neighborhood and howl mournfully at 7 minute intervals the night before Orianna's birthday. The next day was somewhat of a blur of overtired, pregnancy inducded hormonal irritability and emotion.

But despite the lack of a coherent mother and a blog post dedication, Orianna managed to turn 6 anyway. For her birthday, she said she wanted roasted chicken, potatoes, corn, and gravy. And of course, grandma, grandpa, Livie, Tori, Owen, and Ashley. Caleb happened to be up that weekend too, so he came as well. I have to admit to feeling slightly guilty about the lack of interesting, themed birthday parties with lots of kids, but then I think about actually doing something like that and then I cease to feel bad about this and thank my lucky stars that Orianna can be quite so pleased with a roasted chicken dinner, family, cake, and presents.

Orianna's cake. For some reason,she did not want pink frosting on it because pink frosting made her feel sick to her stomach. Go figure. We aren't entirely sure what the central thing there is. People generally thought it looked more like a thistle than anything, but it wasn't exactly the rose Justin was going for in his 15 minute frost-the-cake-race-before-we-eat-it dash. 

Singing Happy Birthday. Caleb is looking pretty enthusiastic. 

Orianna being twice as pleased as punch.

And more singing people, with Owen looking goofy this time.

Blowing out the candles 

Opening the fascinator Aunt Ashley made her.

Orianna did Lily's hair and Lily could not be persuaded to have it done any other way, even it if was starting to fall in her eyes.

Goofy Gilbert

All sorts of marvelous presents

Aunt Tori clipped out a whole book full of paper dolls for Orianna and Lily and found a little folder thing to put them it. So cool. 

Lily being pleased with a lollipop I think. 

And then the next night, Orianna had to be a crown bearer at the junior prom. Justin took her, since I had no interest in standing around for an unknown amount of time, at 11 PM, looking 9 months pregnant in amongst a lot of excited high schoolers. (In case you were wondering, I am definitely middle-aged.) Justin is such a nice husband. 

Sitting on the new park bench Justin made them. We found the original bench being used as a plant stand outside, so mostly rotted out. Justin rescued the cast iron (or is that wrought iron?) ends and discovered that the left over hard wood flooring we had to pull up from our remodel fit perfectly in the slats. And voila! A bench. The kids love it. 

Orianna's new sandals. They were about $10 more than the shoes I could have bought her at Wal-mart, but I liked them so much better. Orianna would have preferred the Wal-mart ones that were sparkly, white, slightly high-heeled, strappy sandals, but such are the perks of being the one doing the shopping! 

The kids and their garden. They really wanted a garden, So we let them choose two 6 packs of flowers each. Justin rototilled this little un-mowable patch under the swingset, we picked out the weeds, planted the plants (striped petunias and striped impatiens for Orianna and snapdragons and alyssum for Lily) and joy of joys! Watered them. Watering is really the point of the kids having their own garden. Weeding and deadheading are NOT as interesting.  

My irises

Coral Bells

Peonies

Love, love, love

Me, being 9 months pregnant. Or at least 8 and a half months pregnant.  

Peonies on the windowsill

The orchid Justin and the kids bought me for mother's day. I have always thought orchids were fussy and high maintenance. And lo and behold, I plonked it on the windowsill, splash some water on it every few days and it is always blooming and looking gorgeous. 

My windowsill that makes me happy. Of course, this picture really highlights the grey screen and smudgy window, but still, with the orchids, the peonies and my mother's Day marigold from Orianna, it is pretty great!