Nastia's Friend/Cousin Birthday Party

Happy 8th Birthday!!! We have a friend party for the kids every four years (4, 8, 12, and 16) and Nastia was lucky enough to be having one of those birthdays. She's going to think this is what every birthday is like! She had fun and seemed to enjoy herself. We started the party with making bows for the girls hair. I loved it because this is my first chance to entertain a bunch of girls! It's always been dinosaurs and wrestling at my house, so this party was kind of a fun change for me. We then had cupcakes with homemade whipped cream/cream cheese frosting on top, flavored with real strawberries! They were yummy...nevermind the calories! It's what Nastia wanted. Chocolate cake with strawberry frosting. After cupcakes we opened presents and then headed to the pool!

A funny story about the pool...

Nastia loves to swim and has been asking to go since school started. She had a great time in the pools during the end of the summer and wanted to go again so we decided we would do this for her birthday. I checked the schedule for our local indoor pool and it said (on the internet) that it was open from 12-8 on Fridays for open swimming. Great! That will be perfect for the party. Well, invitations were out and Wednesday rolls around and my neighbor calls me. He says he thinks he just read a sign at the rec center that the pool would be closed on Friday. Yikes!! We can't have that! I called and sure enough the pool would be closed for four days. They were completely emptying it. So I start calling around to figure out the best and next nearest indoor pool to us. I found it and we informed all the parents we would be at a different pool than originally planned.

So back to the party...

We head to the pool which was a little further than originally planned. We were in the pool for 30 minutes and someone pooped in the pool!!! They kicked us out for what would have been the remaining 45 minutes of our party. BUMMER! With 12 wet kids and hair there wasn't much we could do. Everyone changed and we went to the gym and the kids played with the basketballs until parents got there to pick up. I think we weren't supposed to be swimming that day for some reason. We'll have to try that outing one more time just as a family...and call ahead this time.

Making bows.The balloon from Avalon.Birthday cake.

8 candles. She is still learning American traditions. She wasn't quite sure what to do with the candles. Not to mention, she burnt her finger while making bows and she wasn't in the mood to blow anything out. She tends to be a little grumpy when she is hurt. This was the forced smile we could get from her for the picture.

Nastia and half the family helping her blow out the candles.

The first birthday gift. This happended to be moon shoes from Emily and Melissa.

Avalon's wrapping and balloons were a hit!

Everyone enjoying the balloons.

Bryce at the pool. He loves the water as long as it's not too deep.

Nastia and Tyler.

Calle.

Avalon and Hayley.

Emily.

Jake, Calle and JR.

Lexie and Kelsie.

Nastia, Kelsie, Emily and Lexie.

Bryce and dad.

Calle and Grandma. Sharon was wonderful to help us keep an eye on the little boys while the pool lasted!

Happy Birthday Nastia! Hope it was a good one, poop and all!