Raleigh's Half-Birthday Post of Her Seventh Birthday

Since when did this little munchkin start getting so big??

Miss Raleigh-Kroggies celebrated her 7th birthday six months (and a day) ago in Virginia Beach, and it was the party of parties!!

Henry, our beloved doorman, crooned his own special, private solo, "Happy Birthday to Raleigh," TWICE! She felt really special.

Isn't he cute? I love old men. Especially old classy black men. Who can tap. (He didn't.)

Just previous to her birthday party, I held a Princess Ballerina Tea Party at our place to celebrate all things girly with our work friends. We went ALL out. So I felt kind of bad that I hadn't come up with much for Raleigh's party; I didn't want her to feel like she wasn't as important or special as our friends. Thus was the birth of our Matthews Family Birthday Parties: we now go all out.

MORNING: Open a gift from Mom and Dad to wear on your special day.

Somebody's excited! (And I know by that look on her face that she is smiling at Dallas. She looks at him like that a lot; he is her special pal.)

Beachy shirt and flip flops! Perfect for a July birthday!

Cute, Raleigh!

Next, before Choobers' nap: "Horton Hears a Who" at the free movie morning!

Good thing it was free because all of the treats were devoured by the beginning of the show, and Madeline was too scared to make it through Horton's attempts to save Who-ville. Raleigh didn't care, so we just left. Good thing it was also just across the street.

After nap-time: Dallas came home with two large pizzas and drinks. Hooray!

For her "Butterfly" party, we first made Butterfly Glasses out of paper and pipe cleaners to wear throughout the party. (We like to use Q-Tips to apply the glue. It helps control the mess. I'm saying that because the next picture has Choobs holding one in her hand. She's gluing, not cleaning her ears.)

Okay, no, it looks like she's cleaning her ears.

Raleigh's glasses before being decorated.

Raleigh with her decorated glasses and her Beautiful Butterfly Birthday poster of events.

Choobs.

I love how Dallas made a "D" for his glasses, and Raleigh's has little eyelid-looking things.

Too bad you're already married, Dallas, or I would show this at your wedding!

Dionne's glasses.

Madeline, working hard.

Raleigh and I traded the glasses we made.

Madeline, I love your glasses and the little dimple on the side of your chin!

Choobs chases the birthday girl.

The butterfly cake, as requested:

The butterflies took all of Raleigh's presents and flew them up on top of the refrigerator! We had to work as a team to get them down. Every time we threw a ball ten times through each of the slots on the ladder, Raleigh could climb up and open a gift. We had to work as a team to get ten straight shots.

She couldn't have been more excited to open presents!

And Choobs couldn't have been more excited to eat cake!

Make that Madeline, too!

Eating cake on her new plate from Grandma Lisa:

Funny sister!

One last unexpected gift from Daddy - a chapter book!

The loot.

After this, if I remember correctly, I think we had a dance party to our Dance Party Mix on playlist. And that was the end.

Raleigh, you've grown up so much in just the past six months! Just another six more until you are eight and will be baptized. "You need to quit getting so big!" We love you and are so glad you are in our family! "Don't forget how much we love you!"