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Maria's party went pretty well yesterday. She seemed to enjoy herself. And the gift haul was more reasonable than ever before. It started with makeovers at Studio La Di Da leaving the girls all covered in sparkles with updos and then we went back to my mom's house for a dinner of alfredo sauce and pasta, steamed broccoli and carrots, fruit salad, garlic breadsticks, and a green salad. Her cake was made by the local grocery bakery because I am just not good at cakes. Two tiers, layered white cake with white icing, covered in multi colored flowers and swirls. Very birthday-ish. She planned the dinner entirely herself and designed the cake with the help of the nicest grocery store baker lady I've ever met. It was adorable, the two of them huddled over a piece of paper while the lady drew pictures and asked about colors. Maria was very pleased. The party ended with a raucous pinata bash. The pinata was pink and shaped like a crown with the word Princess on it, which was the theme of the entire party. Plates and napkins said princess and there were pink and purple (and green and blue) streamers and balloons everywhere. It was very festive. And very, very Princess Maria. The kids that live next door to my mom crashed the party, which we didn't mind at all because I should have thought to invite them in the first place, and made it even more fun. She received an ipod nano and pink cover for it from us and from others a Groovy Girl, a Ty Girl (much like a Groovy Girl), some Barbie clothes, a movie, a Hannah Montana watch and some lip gloss, lotions, smelly sprays and other sparkly girlie stuff. I can't remember all of it, but it really wasn't over the top. Too much, but not ridiculous in the way many of these gift giving holidays are around here.

I'm glad another birthday is done though. I'd like to say I just totally enjoy those, but really? They are mostly just a lot of work.

Today, I'm resting up a bit. Cleaned up the living room and vacuumed. Went shopping for my sister's baby. We are having a small family shower for her tomorrow. This is her third baby, so she didn't feel right having a real shower, but as there are five and a half years separating this one from her last baby, she really didn't have much stuff left. And because we just think this baby should be celebrated for lots of special reasons above and beyond the fact that babies should ALL be celebrated. So, we went out and bought a few small gifts for the girls to give her. I had already purchased my gift to her. A dozen BumGenius diapers to entice her into cloth diapering. Heh. I bought her a few other little things, but that is the big gift. They need to be saving every penny they can right now for various reasons, so using cloth diapers would be a good thing for them. But I was afraid if she started with prefolds she'd give up. I know a dozen isn't enough to do full time cloth diapering, but if she gets hooked, we can get more.

Maria and Luci are watching a Barbie movie, Mariposa, that Maria received as a gift yesterday, and Zoe is at my mom's house for a sleep over, so I'm free for the moment. It is very nice. I really enjoy my free time, I must say.

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Me: You didn't want to watch Mariposa?
Luci: Yeah, but after.
Me: After what?
Luci: I'm making a sell
Me: A sell?
Luci: Yeah.
Me: What is a sell?
Luci: You know! When you sell stuff!
Me: Oh, a sale?
Luci: Yeah! That's what I said!

We have so many of these conversations. They always end with "That's what I said!". It cracks me up.