Calista's Birthday No. 9

My baby girl is NINE. 

Can you believe that?

With Calista's birthday on a Sunday this year, we asked her what she wanted to do to celebrate, the day before. She decided she wanted to go to the same park as last year, so off we all went, including Scarlett. (She spent a week with us for her birthday, leaving on the morning of Calista's birthday itself.)

First we decided to take a walk around the lake. At one point, we went down the steps to go closer to the lake, but apparently this was a bad idea.

There was an angry swarm of wasps, ready to attack anyone who came near. Craig go the worst of it, but I honestly consider us lucky that he only got stung once, and none of the rest of us did. They were crazy!

Still, Craig is tough and we won't let a little wasp attack ruin our day, so to the playground we went.

We played all over, going down slides,

bouncing on the teeter-totter, 

climbing on the rocks,

and (attempting to, in some cases) climb the ropes leading to the big slide.

Caleb wasn't so sure,

But the other three had it down!

I made Calista take a picture by the lake, too, just for fun.

Isn't she beautiful?

The next morning, we started the day with bagels and smoothies.

Birthday girl's choice, after all. 

After getting dressed, it as time for presents!

She made nearly the same face for everything she opened.

Which is to say, she loved it all.

Books (English and Spanish), Science cooking kit, baseball glove, clothes, and a scooter.

We immediately went out to use the glove a bit.

And Calista discovered just how difficult it is to use a glove that hasn't been broken in.

Gotta work that pocket!

I'm sure she (and the glove) will get better. Maybe we'll put a ball in it and run it over with the car a few times. I hear that works.

After church (and Scarlett leaving and a clothing change), Calista was simply dying to go test out her new scooter.

And so to another park - this one without visible wasps - we went.

Caleb practiced riding his scooter, too.

And, of course, played in the fire truck.

Craig just stole my hat.

Before dinner (but after another outfit change), we quickly did the first couple of cooking with science experiments, about acids and bases and their reaction together.

I love science, and so do they!

Finally, after a dinner of chicken fried rice, it was time for birthday cake.

Lemon cake, with lemon cream cheese frosting. Yum!

Happiest of birthdays to my favorite (not-so) little girl!