Princess of Strawberries and Scary Crowns

Happy 6th Birthday Carolyn!!! It is hard to believe our baby is really six years old. What happened to our chubby cheeked baby? She is now a gum chewing bean pole. Thats what! For some odd ball parenting reason (I was likely POed that day at the kids for asking one too many times), we have a rule in our house that they can't have gum until your six. Carolyn and Meghan have been counting down the days till the big day arrives (or when Grandmom Rohr comes and sneaks in a few pieces). I think Carolyn was more excited that she could finally chew gum than anything else. So when the big day arrived yesterday, she was more than loaded up with all the horrible flavored Hubba Bubba and yards of gum I could find on the island. She finally gave it a break when her jaw no longer worked. Meghan is still trying to negotiate with me that I waive the six year old rule . Ella is just stealing it behind Carolyn's back and hoping no one is watching.

Even though she could have cared less, Allison and I still felt she deserved a birthday cake in addition to the candy store. Grandmom sent a princess cake set as part of a care package. So, Allison and I decided we'd attempt it with Carolyn's choice of strawberry shortcake. Thus, we present "Princess of Strawberry Land". It turned out really well, but elicited many a chuckle from the adults as we ate her. Just didn't seem right, leaving her exposed in the back like that; afterall she was a princess. Marta had a wonderful idea for Halloween. Make her out of red velvet cake and decorate her like Carrie, pigs blood and all, stabbing herself. I think you get the picture. I'll add better pictures once I get them from Garrick.

Now that the bubble gum battle is over, we have offcially moved into a new debate within 24 hours, courtsey of daddy. Karl sent Carolyn some beautiful Lapis jewerly for her birthday that included pierced earrings. I should have known better and removed them from the bag. She didn't say much about them when she opened the present. Apparently, she needed to do some research. She came home from school today armed with info, prepared for battle. "Ms. Partridge says it doesn't hurt. It is just like a mosquito bite." "We need to get them pierced at the same time." "All the girls in my class have them." etc, etc, etc. I tried to counter with things such as "We have to wait till daddy is home." Didn't work. Mary happened to be there and added the scare factor about what happens if you don't take care of them. She was getting pretty close to countering that argument till I told her that if she can't even stop picking her nose, than she isn't mature enough to keep her ears clean. That concluded today's skirmish.

And now to poor Meghan, who wasn't able to enjoy gum today. Just before Christmas the dentist discovered that part of her left molar chipped off. I wasn't that suprised. Every dentist has commented that she has a few teeth with weak enamel and that eventually some may need a crown. She went in today for the surgery. Thank goodness, laughing gas has a fun name. Meghan was thrilled to go, not the cautious kid she normally is. She was amazing, such a trooper, with amazing help from our dentist. She never flinched once as he added the sugar bugs (numbing gel) to her mouth that had to scrub them out (novicane). I was the one with the quezy stomach and almost cried when she proudly showed me her silver smile. All I keep thinking is that it will come out in a few years when her adult teeth come in. She is very pleased with her crown. "Is it silver or gold? Look again Carolyn!" "I have weaK eNamel." I'm very proud of her today.