Happy 8th Birthday, Ellie!!!

I know, this post is VERY late in getting made as Ellie's birthday was over a month ago.  Sorry EllieBean!

Our sweet little girl is now a crazy 8 year old as of April 11th.  She had (several) wonderful birthday celebration(s) first on her birthday with us and then with her friends and Aunt Tammy a week or so later.  This one was definitely a birthday that she will not soon forget...and might just be her favorite!

We tried to take Ellie out to one of her favorite restaurants, Mango Mangos, on the night before her birthday to celebrate her last day being 7 but when we got there found that it was closed for two days of renovations.  No worries, we just headed to another favorite beach restaurant instead and then for a sunset walk on the beach.

 Ellie drew herself a birthday cake in the sand...

 April 11th was a Monday this year so Ellie headed off to school with cupcakes to share with all of her classmates.  At home we celebrated with a dinner of her choice, a big red velvet cupcake and of course presents!

Ellie opened her presents and Emory couldn't help getting in on the fun.  He decided to put on Ellie's new gown, new flip flops and one of her baby bows and be her!

Ellie's birthday party with her friends was held the following Sunday afternoon on April 17th.  Aunt Tammy flew down to help out with Ellie's Spa Party and give all of the girls facials.  The best part of the party might just have been having Aunt Tammy here!  :o)

Aunt Tammy and I made the cutest little marshmallow pops for the party.  They were so cute and yummy too! 

To go along with the spa party theme, I made Ellie a cake shaped like a bottle of hot pink nail polish. 

Ellie had a great time with her friends doing crafts as she waited for all of the guests to arrive.  Her first friends to make it to the party were Kimberly and Nikki.

We had several spa activities planned for the girls...manicures, pedicures, making body glitter gel and the most fun of all, facials!  Aunt Tammy flew all the way from Richmond to do these for Ellie and her friends and Ellie loved every second of it.  

Each girl had their turn getting a facial...and doing lots of giggling!

 Then it was time to relax with the cucumbers on their eyes.

 We wrapped up the party playing games in the hot tub. 

 It was a birthday party packed with lots of fun activities.  Extra special thanks to Aunt Tammy for first of all coming down to share Ellie's birthday with us and then also for all of her help with the party.  It just wouldn't have been the same with out her!