Ellie is 6

So, yes, there was (coffee) cake this morning AND "real" cake in the afternoon. Birthdays are special! I'm with Marie Antoinette on this one: "Let them eat cake!"

Stephanie placed the Smarties in between the icing flowers. She did a very careful job (also very carefully placed one Smartie in her mouth for every Smartie on the cake...). In case there are any foodies reading this, the cake was the buttermilk layer cake from Nick Maglieri's Perfect Cakes and the frosting was the instant fudge frosting (minus the chocolate, plus pink food coloring gel) from Smitten Kitchen. OMG. That's all I'm saying.

This morning after I dropped the girls off at school, I zipped over to the party store and bought six helium balloons in 3 shades of pink. Oh yes, she did notice and appreciate. That girl loves pink!

Stephanie was impressed with the decor too.

After school, we had invited our current and previous neighbors to join us for cake and ice cream. Rosemarie made Ellie a new birthday crown, and I had decorated the shirt for her to wear today. Look how excited she is!

Ellie was thrilled to have so many friends celebrate her special day! She could hardly contain herself! She also seemed to quite enjoy having a second cake...

That one last candle would not go out, no matter how much she huffed and puffed. Ever helpful, Will (seated across from her) took care of it for her in the end, though I don't think she noticed through her laughter.

After we tucked the little darlings into bed tonight, Markus said he suspects this is the best birthday (perhaps best day) Ellie will say she ever had. She was excited excited excited for weeks ahead of time, and she stayed that excited right up until all her energy was completely burned and she passed out in her bed. And she still has her joint birthday party to look forward to this weekend! What a happy girl! What a happy day!