Documentary of a Birthday Party (Madeline's)

Madeline's birthday was the last week of November, and this year she wanted to have a "Christmas"-themed party. In keeping with our latest tradition, we went ALL OUT.

The festivities: Mrs. Claus' Christmas Tree Pizzas, Frosty's Snowball Toss, Rudolf's Make-a-Reindeer-Face, and Santa's North Pole Round Up. (And of course, Dallas' perennial pinata, which is not listed, but much-anticipated.) Oh, and chocolate cheesecake, per request of the birthday girl.

It was a full house with my parents, David and Kenda and Dade, Jess and Dannii, and the five of us Matthews. (And I brought my pneumonia with me, although I was not considered contagious.)

Here's the birthday girl. (Watch Jess and Dannii in the background.)

True love at its finest!

Let the festivities begin!

Mrs. Claus' Christmas Tree Pizzas:

My dad said, "I think this is the best pizza I've EVER had." I tried a bite of his, and it was the best pizza I'VE ever had: Publix pizza dough, store-bought Ragu pizza sauce, mozzarella, goat cheese, feta, spinach, olives, sausage, pepperoni, red onion, mushroom, pesto, bacon. Am I missing anything? The flavor was unreal!! Thanks, Mom!

Some after-dinner Choober-CHEESINESS and posing:

Raleigh made her nametag. She was "Grumpy Elf," and Dade was "Sleepy Elf."

Madeline gets to wear her birthday hat!

Dannii ("Dasher") and Kenda ("Cupid") - name tags by Raleigh and Jess

The boys jimmy-rigged this wreath onto the swingset, where we played "Frosty's Snowball Toss" with rolled-up white socks as snowballs. The object of the game was to throw the snowballs into the hole in the wreath. (The spotlight helped - it was completely dark outside.) Dallas' pinata is next to the wreath: it is some type of guinea fowl. A Tropicana guinea fowl. And we gave it a good beating!

Monkey-Dade climbs the swingset in the dark with his daddy, David.

My dad built this swingset. There are two other swingsets by the same maker in Peachtree City, GA, in our old subdivision and one in Lakeland, FL, where we used to live. Will he build one at the new house in Senoia? For the grandkids?

Madeline and Dallas devise a pinata-busting strategy.

Choobs perches on top of her favorite pregnant belly and chats with the big girls.

Dannii shows that bird who's boss.

Kenda-the-All-Star sends it out of the park!

Actually, no, I think it was Jess who sent it flying out into the yard. It fell off a few times - I can't remember who did it.

Get it, Raleigh!!

Big sisters know best.

Dade gets another shot.

David wins the victory!

Spotlight in the face.

Next . . .

"Santa's elves have lost all of the presents in the snow! But the reindeer can help him find them! His two biggest elves want to help, too! Hurry! Tonight is Christmas Eve!" Everyone wore a name tag with the name of a reindeer or an elf and helped Santa Madeline follow the clues to find her presents. She put them in a sack on her shoulder and brought them all back to open with everyone.

The moment she's been waiting for all year:

Some after-present-posing. This hands-on-the-hips thing is new. But I love it. Especially with the belly. (Isn't Kenda cute back there?)

Then it was time for Rudolf's Make-a-Reindeer-Face:

And cheesecake. (The moment the rest of us have been waiting for all year.)

Happy Birthday, Madeline!! We sure do love you, our beautiful, smart, and precious girl!

Howzabout some post-party-pregnancy-pics??

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for letting us crash the party with our party!!