Alayna & Abby look like they're getting ready for show business! But, hey, who's that other girl? Oh, right! Barbie, with the hair that grows! Alayna waited SO long (and impatiently) for her 9th B-day, and she wasn't disappointed!

     The threat of rain turned our picnic at the State Lake into an all-day Open House on Cedar Road. Folks dropped in to honor the Birthday Girl from 2-10 p.m.!  (It just sorta' worked out that way.) But the festivities began a whole week earlier when I took these 2 girls for the 1st time ever to an ice skating rink. (A lifelong dream-come-true for both of them!) They got right out there and skated around like a couple of naturals. By the end of the session, I even had'em starting to skate backwards like me. I sure was happy to get off the ice without having fallen, though. I tell ya', rental skates are murderous on the ankle bones! 

     Well, a few days later, Alayna's biggest birthday wish came to pass: I took her (and Abby) to a horse ranch about an hour away to see a colt which had just been born a few hours earlier. The owners were kind enough to even let the girls enter the stable. We were all truly shocked, though, to see how HUGE the newborn horse was. Here's a snapsnot:

     Then, they even got to ride one of the horses there. (And they convinced good ole' Mom to take a few passes around the corral, too.  I couldn't tell you the last time I had been on a horse!)

     So, by the time Alayna's actual birthday rolled around (el Cinco de Mayo), she was already feeling pretty doggone special. Then, the steady stream of guests topped it all off. Funny enough, though, out of everything, guess what brought on her strongest reaction of total elation?! Getting out of debt!!!   That's right! She had "borrowed" $14 from Abby many moons ago but never received enough money to pay her back. So, the cloud of debt has been hanging over her head for months. (Don't I know the feeling!)  

     Anyway, she had paid of $6 of it and had $8 to go. Knowing how much it would mean to her, I gave her $5 in her birthday card that morning. Then, later, when she put her hands in the pockets of the jeans my mom gave her, she gradually discovered enough $1 bills to pay off Abby and net $2. (Did you figure out that little math problem? Hehehe) At that moment, Alayna jumped up and down squealing with joy. It was beautiful! I hope she never forgets it...so that maybe she'll never get herself in that position again.  

     Well, in addition to the pile of clothing from grandparents, a smattering of toys and whatnot, she received a potted rose bush from a friend! Too sweet! We planted it in our raised flower bed in the front yard. I can't wait to see it blossom! Plus, I bought several Marguerite Henry horse books for her (which brought a few more squeals), a stuffed horse that Abby found for her, a Barbie horse, and an adorable horse poster. Are you noticing the theme of the year? :-) 

     So, my firstborn baby is now in her 10th year of life. How did it happen? And she's already at my chin-level. Who knows? By next year, she might sprout right up past me. In any case, I'm savoring these milestones because it's all going SO fast. I'm going to turn around, and she'll be walking down the aisle to her Prince Charming. And maybe they'll ride off together into the sunset on his valiant stead.