The Double-Digits Birthday Extravaganza!

Wait!  It's been TEN years since Sydney came screaming into this world?  It can't have been that long.  I am NOT old enough for this to be happening (stepping back to reality).

Well, it's here.  I threatened Sydney that if we cancelled her birthday, then she would never turn ten.  She didn't buy it.  I guess she's growing up after all.

We started her Birthday Week Extravaganza with a trip to Rainbow Kids, our trusty kids salon, for a little ear-piercing action.  Although there were tears when the guns went off, the end result (and a lollipop) were well worth the pain.

Next was the gift from Thomas and me.  Because of the pandemonium that would ensue on her actual birthday weekend, we decided to give her our gift early.  So, one night, when she got home from Bye Bye, Birdie rehearsal, hair still wet from swim team, she walked into her room to her armoire with a big ribbon on it.  Once she opened it, she only said, "Thank you so much!  Thank you so much! Thank you so much! Thank you so much!," in an awe-struck voice.  Now, the secret is this...it's our old TV.  We got a new one for downstairs, did a little rearranging, and voila!!! NO more fighting over VicTORIous vs. Ningago.  Ulterior motives.

Then came the birthday party.  We seem to be at a cross-roads in ages.  At ten, you're still friends with people because you've known them since kindergarten, but new friends are being made based on activities.  Well, Syd is turning into all sorts of a theatre kid, and was dying to have a theatre party.  I knew that some of her friends would balk at an evening of singing/dancing/ogling over Bernadette Peters, and keep within a budget.  So, here was the deal.  5 friends. Big dinner. An evening at the theatre. Spending the night.  Done!

The cake, of course, had to be Broadway themed, so we bought the cake plain from Vons, and Syd gave me her top logo choices to use for the decoration:

Then, Aunt Farrah arrived.  Farrah is my college roommate, and has come out every year for Sydney's birthday.  Well, since Farrah lives in NYC, she smartly took a stop by the theatre where Newsies is playing on Broadway (Sydney's current obsession) and brought her a T-shirt.  NICE JOB, Farrah!

The day of the party arrived.  Five little girls (oh...excuse me...pre-teens) showed up all dressed for a night on the town.  We started at Buca di Beppo, a family style Italian restaurant.  We ate, opened presents, and had cake (after being serenaded by the waitstaff---VERY entertaining).

After dinner, we took in a performance of Oliver! at the Curtis Theatre in Brea.  The girls had front row seats, and the adults had seats in the last row.  The girls were tickled to see kids on stage that they recognized, and they loved EVERY minute of the show!

Back home, and settled in pajamas in Sydney's room, the girls watched Once Upon a Mattress and thankfully fell asleep by midnight.  The next morning, as they left, each girl got a mixed CD of some of Sydney's favorite Broadway tunes complete with personalized labels.

The morning they woke up was Sydney's actual birthday.  We spent the day at a friends house, swimming, and enjoying ANOTHER birthday cake.

Sydney rounded out her birthday week extravaganza with an Apple iMovie camp at the local Apple Store in the mall, where the staff taught the kids Garage Band and iMovie. 

And, no birthday would be complete without getting the spend the gift cards that she received as gifts.  

It's been a wild and crazy ride with this amazing little girl (oh, sorry....pre-teen).  I can't wait to see what the next ten years bring.  Eye-rolling, I'm sure.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SYDNEY!!