All grown up birthday surprise

My now 10 year old daughter woke up at 5:30 am in the morning to clean up the house before rushing off to school for my birthday!!!! On her own, without any prodding or suggestions from me -- it was a total awesome surprise. Now she is all grow up.

Forceful present

It will be Gwenchik's birthday in a week and we were discussing possible presents on our way home.
Gwen: I know what I want as a birthday presents from YOU!
Me: What is that?
Gwen: You should force me to practice music!
Me: What kind of present is that? And it is very, very hard to force you to do anything, especially music.
Gwen: That is why it is a present. You know that I will whine, complain and evade practicing really soon, but I do what to be able to play, so you have to force me, ok?

Birthday party behind us

Gwenchik's 8th birthday celebrations are over now. This year she had three of her friends for a sleepover (they only settled down around 11:30 pm) and next day another 14 or so friends for a lunch party. The weather refused to cooperate (second time in 8 years, so can't really complain) so our plans for the outdoor party with "capture the flag" theme failed miserably.
Friday evening I came up with about 10 games we could play indoors and it turned out to be a blast. We didn't even manager to play all of them before kids had to leave... It is so stressful, but I love these parties as I get to feel like a kid again :)

Birthday girl!

As it is became a tradition, we woke Gwenchik this morning by bringing presents to her bedroom. The sleepy head as usual started to protest and demand another 5 minutes, but jumped right up when she realized that it is her birthday and time to unwrap the presents.
This year she really wanted a betta fish and have been asking for it for a few weeks now. And yesterday she reminded that we should definitely wrap her fish up, as it is, after all a present and a surprise (well the  kids logic these days...)

Gwen: Oh, my presents!!! Where is my surprise wrapped fish?
......
She said that she was afraid till the last minute that we would not get her another live creature --- we do have two cats already, after all  :)

Pizza

We are planning the upcoming birthday party, while chewing on a nice caramelized onion pizza from Trader Joe's.
Gwen: Mom, for my birthday we should get cheese and pepperoni pizza only... you know, most of the kids out there do not appreciate nice pizza. I do, but I want to keep it a secret to stay cool.

Birthday poem

Gwenchik got this beautiful poem from her uncle Roddy who is now in Moscow....

Gwyneth Lea Isabella you are growing up so fast

And I'm sitting here in Moscow just remembering the past.

You'd beg me to spin you round, like a one wing carousel,

"Ну ещё разочик Дядя!" - крик, как только я присел.

Когда б в гости ни приехал, даже в позднюю пору,

Прочитать просила сказку аль сыграть с тобой в игру.

А теперь ты ходишь в школу, и наверно всех умней,

Я надеюсь удивляешь всех своих учителей.

Здесь в Москве забавы много, время мало чтоб скучать,

Но на твоё День Ражденье очень я хотел попасть...

Подарить тебе подарок, погонять твоих гостей,

Торт с тобою приготовить, угостить твоих друзей,

Вечером как все уедут уложить тебя поспать,

А на утро недоспавши, в "разбужалки" проиграть.

Сможешь мне в стихах ответить, что ты делаешь теперь?

Чем играешь, с кем гуляешь и какую ломишь дверь?

Маму с Папой почетаешь? Слушаешся ли ты их?

Или делаешь как хочешь позабыв совсем о них?

Кто важнее, ты иль Мама? Who is stronger, you or Dad?

Скажи правду, не стесняйся, are you good or are you bad?

Birthday present check-in

Gwenchik is playing at the playground with her Dad and called me

Gwen: Mom, are you thinking about my birthday present?

Me: No yet, to be honest.

Gwen: Well, Dad isn't thinking about it and neither are you... so who IS thinking about my present?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Gwenchik lazily woke up this morning to happy birthday singing and the family crowding her bed with presents (family tradition). She thought to wait on unwrapping presents until the evening when the rest of the family gang would be showing up for the unwrapping of the entire heap of presents all at once -- but changed her mind in five minutes. I couldn't have waited even that long. :)

Gwen: It is my birthday, so I do not have to go to school.

Me: Yes, you do.

Gwen: What is the point of a birthday if I have to be in school on that day?

Birthday party

We had an absolutely wonderful birthday party, as the weather cooperated, almost all the kids showed up (24!) and our castle and dragon withstood the wind and the lashings from the toy swords. We got to find the magic key, looked for gold coins and begged the pirate to spill his secrets.
.....
This morning she had a princess ring on each of her fingers (with lip gloss) and requested to take a cake to the day care.
Gwen: Mom, I am four! So now I can wear all my jewelry at once.
Me: It is ok, but remember, that you have to share.
Gwen: I am bringing a cake so that they can all celebrate my birthday. It would be again so much fun, even without the presents! They get the cake, they do not need my rings, right?

One and only

Gwenchik wakes up this morning, to check first thing if TODAY is her birthday.
Gwen: It is today, right?
Me: No, it is in 6 days
Gwen: But remember, I get to decided everything, except when to go to sleep, right?
Me: Right
Gwen: You are my one and only favorite MOM!

Anniversary cake

We had our anniversary this week and were able to go to a restaurant, just the two of us. Gwenchik was really disappointed that she couldn't join.
Gwen: Is anniversary as important as birthday?
Me: Yes, I think so. May be even more important.
Gwen: Than why isn't there a big cake?
.......

Good question, so next day we went to the store together so that she can pick our the 'right anniversary cake', which turned out to be a carrot cake with cute frosting carrots.

Birthday presents

From Veronika
Gwen: My Mom is having her birthday very soon.
V: Oh Great. Let's have a nice party. How old is she?
Gwen: 35 years old (I am younger than that)
V: How old are you?
Gwen: 3.5 years old, but Dodik is even older. He has a very old car. I will get him a new car for his birthday. A new car for Dodik and a new crown for Mom.