greta goose and mr. wyatt: Greta is SIX! Happy Birthday!

Our sweet Greta Goose is six years old. She had her party here in Chile just the way we've celebrated them every other year - - with a back yard party filled with friends, young and old. This year, Greta wanted a Peppa Pig party, and we decided to make her invitations when we found that the selection of pre-fab characters is pretty limited. We spent about half a Saturday cutting out little Peppa heads and little Peppa shoes and teeny Peppa arms and legs. In the end, Greta invited twelve little girls to her party ranging in age from two up to fifteen. Greta was born an old soul and has always loved big girls as much as the little girls. She loves to be around the older ones to feel more grown up and she adores taking good care of the little ones. At any rate, there was great age variety at G's birthday this year. It was funny giving a high school student this little invitation.

We got the invitations in the appropriate school cubbies, and then on game day, Greta finally got to open the present from Aunt Lori that we'd been stashing for weeks. Waking up was hard, but finding exactly what she wanted, made it worth it. There would have been two presents to open, but we flubbed one of them. Greta opened Grandma and Grandpa's present a few weeks ago when it arrived. Greta curls up with her book about dogs almost every night and loves drawing the pictures in the book. She was very excited to learn that she had gotten one over on us and had inadvertently been allowed to open a present early.

We took cochufli to Greta's class, and everyone sang a deafening Feliz Cumpleanos!

Gian Carlo and G enjoying cuchufli! (They had just returned from art.)

After the final bell rang, Greta's friend Ari ran to find Greta. Ari is in sixth grade and is one of Paul's students. She loves Greta, and the feeling is mutual. Ari chased Greta down after school to give her a Peppa Pig stuffed toy. What a sweet friend!

After school, Wyatt gave Greta a new play dough set.

And we finally gave her the American Girl doll she's been craving for a year. Thanks again to Mary, Pablo, and Ruby for getting this doll from Michigan to Santiago. Gracias!

Tradition held this year as Greta and Paul whipped up the cupcakes.

This year, we had a do-it-yourself cupcake frosting station at the party. Much less prep time, but significantly more clean up.

Show time!

We decided at the last minute to make a Peppa Pig banner for the party. Greta cut out her name and decorated the house. I made the sun and clouds. Paul made the car and pig family. This was a very serious project that we completed about two hours before we hosted upwards of thirty people. Turned out well, but we might consider starting earlier next year if we decide to get artsy.

Sweet tables and pencil case party favors.

We had face painting, bead stringing, nail decorating, and crafts. Veda, Emilia, and Denise whip out some necklaces while Ari makes Wyatt into a tiger.

Sayde did G's nails.

Some sweet grown up friends, Nathalie and Clare. These women, among others, have become my rocks. I cannot believe how lucky we are to have met such wonderful people.