I tried to keep it all the things I was doing a secret from her, but some how she figured out the code or picked up on some of the clues for some of it. It's quite all right with me, because she loved every bit of her party today.
One of the best parts was seeing her look at her party room for the first time. She was just filled with pure joy, and I love that we were able to help create that happy heart of hers!
I took more pics before the party than during it, because well a room of a dozen 4 year olds gets a little crazy..lol So here goes with some pics:
I had an apron for each of the kids and I used the same fabric that I made Kylie's dress with to make the letters for their names!
I wished I had time to make a "Pie Shop" sign for this little area. Matt made the oven out of an old end table and the kids go to bake the pies they made and they totally loved it too!
A closer look for ya! I had the fuzzy colored pompoms in a basket for berries, and then made the pie crusts out of felt, and away they baked!
Can't for the get the labels so they all knew which pie they made!
My friend Patti from church let me use her old interior decorating board to make this "Pin the Strawberry" game.
And we can't forget the Strawberry Toss!
All lined up for a picture...aren't they so cute!
And silence once they all sat down to eat their cupcakes :)
Yep, she totally just shoved the rest of her cupcake in her mouth..lol
I didn't take any shots of her opening present, but I have some video footage thanks to our friend TJ...she loved everything and opening presents was even more exciting to watch her do! Can't wait to see her at Christmas!
She is riding off on her new bike from Grandma Nancy!
This was so cute...we were cleaning things up once we got home and here she is wearing her new rain boots, carrying all sorts of presents around with her too. Love this little lady!
There was just something so special about today seeing everyone there for Kylie and her running around and having such a great time with her friends. Our girl is doing so incredibly well, even amidst the times I worry about how things are going. She has come such a long way, and just leaps and bounds from where she was even a few months ago. I know I need to just step back and see the whole picture and not just a small piece of it.
My heart is over flowing with joy right now, as I look and see how God has truly blessed us with this amazing girl! I was witness to it at her party this evening, and again at church tonight. Matt does the games for the kids that are middle school through high school seniors, and Kylie always joins him. I went tonight and seeing her there and chatting with high school kids and just feeling so at home was overwhelming me with pure joy and love for everyone that touches her life...and life she touches.
Oh before I continue I want to back up real quick. After we cleaned up from the party and got home, we decided to grab something for dinner since Matt and Kylie needed to head to church in less than an hour. Kylie said she wanted to eat at Hen House...a local grocery store, who happens to have some delicious Chinese food! Anyhow, we often see a nice guy there that always says hello whenever we eat there or just when he sees us. He saw her all dressed up, so I mentioned we just had her party and he told her happy birthday. Well, while we were eating he came over and gave her a present! He got her some play jewelry in the store and just that gesture alone for the sake of a child, our child nonetheless. We went to show him how she looked with all her jewels on, but we couldn't find him. So we had him paged and told the manager how kind he always is to us, and told her about the gift he gave her. Love so much, that so many people that have come to see Kylie, and not even know her fully are touched by her alone. I just know this girl is destined for so many wonderful things, and I believe many of them have already begun!
I had arrived at the church about 45 minutes or so after Matt and Kylie, and he told me how all 60 kids and the adults that were there sang happy birthday to her. That just made my heart even heavier with all this joy filled emotion for our girl! Totally loving this abundance of love for Kylie. I can't tell you enough how much it means to have so many people care for Kylie and celebrate her with us.
Matt snapped this when we got home, because we totally did not take pics of all of us at her party...next year maybe!
