What Does FOUR Years Old Look Like?

This year's birthday interview was conducted by Mommy on 5.28.2012 at 8:20AM in the playroom with her brother in attendance and while she was wearing a hot pink polka dot pajama dress. Addie seemed pretty interested in the interview for the nine minutes that we were on record.

What were your favorite gifts you received this year for your birthday? "Pretzel and Pickle, my new dogs dressed in pink." (These were her VERY first Build A Bear stuffed dogs sent to her from Papa Lance and Karen.) "Also mom, my new pink dress Harrison gave me!"

What was the last thing you were sad about? "When Ella took my doggy bag away from me."

Addie, what makes you really happy? "When I go places with the family!" Carter also had an answer for this one.. "When she saw her doggy birthday party."

Addie, are you scared of anything? "NO!" What do you think Heaven is like? "It looks like you can fly or walk or play any game you want or just go see God. MAVERICK.... ahhhhh... I miss Maverick. I want to go there right now! But I am not sick..."

If you could have any animal in the world as a pet, what would it be? "A giraffe because I could ride on it and we could put it outside in our backyard with Smokey."

What do you want to be when you grow up? "A doctor that can take care of any animal that is hurt and I will fix them."

Do you like your name? (She silently nods yes) but when I asked her if there was any other name she would like, she says: "Pinkalicious!"

At what age is someone officially a grown-up? "Fifteen. You can go to work and you don't have to go to bed if you don't want to and you can drive yourself to any place you want, like the place with the airplanes."

Addie's Adopt A Pet 'Paw-ty' - Wrap Up

It was a great afternoon and the very first time that I had ever held a birthday party on one of their actual birthdays.

Besides their newly adopted friends covered in bandaids and hair clips, arts and crafts and sugar filled tummies, each little person left with a package of Scooby snacks to munch on and a bottle of Scooby bubble bath to clean up with!

As most guests were leaving, Blake brought out a special guest to say hi and show off a few tricks that we learned 10 years ago and now practices once or twice a year!

Then it was the super fun part of cleaning up!

All in all, one of my most favorite days, putting so much work into something that my daughter feels so passionate towards, is very intrinsically rewarding.

Addie's Adopt A Pet 'Paw-ty" - Food & Puppy Love Pops!

The dog bowls were for everyone to actually eat out of... they made the tables look like so much fun everywhere you looked.

 Of course at a doggy party... "HOT DOGS" had to be served!

 It was fun to print fifty or so of the different photos I have of Addie and all the dogs she has loved in her life, beginning when she was three months old. I used them as table decorations all over.

Such a fun and easy project... dog bone picture frames.

 Then it was time for the "Puppy Dog Love Pops!" As cute as they look, I completely underestimated the time it took to make even just thirty of these for the kids!

They were totally worth the three hour effort when Addie and all her friends LOVED seeing them.

Addie's Adopt A Pet 'Paw-ty' - Arts&Crafts and The Dog Park

Of the nine amazing birthday parties I have been able to throw, as a mom. This one had to me my own personal favorite. I LOVED how there was something for EVERYONE! At these ages, arts and crafts are HUGE and so we had to incorporate some of this into the party. There were doggy coloring pages, pipe cleaners and beads to make custom collars, paper already cut out to make doggy headbands.

Here Addie was working on her doggy headband complete with Dalmatian dots.

Then about 6:45 PM, the "DOG PARK" opened for business. All nails had to be clipped!

Blake did an amazing job maintaining order in this hot park. Who knew there would be such a line!

Then it was time for the balloon dogs... what a hit of course!

Addie's 4 Year Old "Adopt A Pet Paw-ty!" - The Prep

The back.

Thank goodness I found this idea nine months in advance and we had plenty of time to find thirty dogs to adopt out through out the year.

Knowing the theme SO FAR out in advance, I was able to work on the party here and there for an hour or so months in advance, so come her actual birthday party day, there wasn't a lot to do, except to pull it all out... or so I thought!

The weekend before, I recruited everyone and we all learned how to make balloon animals. I have to say it was quite fun and a talent, I know that will be beneficial in the future!

Besides an extreme amount of setup, the only thing I had to do on Addie's actual birthday and party day was make these "Lolli Pop Love Pups," that I fell in love with a month earlier. My M.I.L., Diane, was my absolute saving grace at 3PM that day, rolling out the labor intensive carmel and tootsie pop custom ears. Thank you Diane! 

After waking up for a good nap, Addie came to over see myself and Meme slaving away on her puppy cake pops. She approved and LOVED the ears.

At 4PM, we started setting up next door at the park and playground for the 6PM party and didn't look at my clock again until 8:10PM, when we were bringing it all in.