6 on the 6th . . . on the 5th

This is Alaina's special year for birthdays, since she is turning 6 on September 6th.  Unfortunately, she shares a birthday with her great grandpa, who will be turning 100 on the 6th this year.

 

So . . . we celebrated Alaina's special day one day early :)

 

Alaina and Janae have been reading Harry Potter all summer, and are just finishing the fourth book.  They are completely obsessed--playing Harry Potter all day every day. 

 

So when Alaina finally decided on a Harry Potter theme for her party, I was not surprised at all--and I was absolutely thrilled, since I love the wizarding world as much as anyone!

 

We planned and shopped and prepared.  Yesterday the kids and I made a bunch of treats for our Honeydukes Sweets Shop: cockroach clusters, licorice wands and chocolate frogs to go with our golden snitches and every-flavour beans.

 

 

We also hung candles from the ceiling, and--thanks to Alaina's crafty cousins--sparkling stars as well. 

 

 

(By the end of the party all of the candles had fallen down--luckily it became part of the fun to avoid being bonked on the head by one, and to predict which would fall next!)

 

We put up some posters of a wizard who may have escaped from Azkaban,

 

 

and made an entryway that somewhat resembled platform 9 3/4.

 

 

This morning we put together a cake like the one Hagrid brought Harry for his 11th birthday (so nice to be making a cake that is SUPPOSED to look bad!). 

 

 

When it came time for candles, Alaina refused to blow out the last one, because she is happy to admit she has a boyfriend :)  In the end, Ben finally did it for her!

 

 

Alaina had a good group of cousins, aunts, and grandparents to help her celebrate (and eat all the sweets). 

 

 

 

Moaning Mertle even made an appearance!

 

 

Our birthday girl had told everyone she wanted a Beenie Boo kitty for her birthday, and she was fortunate enough to unwrap SEVERAL. 

 

 

 

Then she spent the rest of the afternoon playing outside in the sunshine.

 

 

Not a bad birthday, even if it was a day early . . . and we could not be more thankful for this little soon-too-be 6 year old!