A Star Was Born

Olivia Bliss turned eight on August 25. She said it was the best birthday of her life. All eight years of it. I was thrilled for her. For her party she and five other little beauties hit the mall for makeovers at Libby Lu. They all got to strike poses



and cheer for Olivia!



Then it was off to Red Robin for lunch



and ice cream sundaes all around!

Her actual birthday on Monday was spent enjoying the ritualistic birthday breakfast of ice creamhitting the city--we "Rode the Ducks" this year for the first time (plus, Gramma was in town so it was a treat for her)

and we wound down the day with a mint chocolate chip ice cream cake.

At bedtime Eric and I regaled Olivia with stories of her birth and tales of all the months and weeks and days and hours and minutes we waited for her. We told her what a twinkle she was in her father's eye before she was born and what a star she became in our world the moment we laid eyes on her. We told her how we love to bask in her glow and wished her a lifetime of shining brightly. And then Eric sang her the song she asks him to sing each night, "Yellow" by Coldplay. As he sang, "Look at the stars, look how they shine for you..." I listened and most of all --I heard. And I thanked God for Olivia, my star.