Rachel's 12th Birthday

It is exciting to have Averien's Birthday so close to Rachel's. It is fun that they will have birthdays two days apart. They will never forget either. This year for Rachel's birthday I had to be on the ball with everything and plan ahead. I knew that I would either have a new baby or be ready to have one and not be in the mood to make a cake. I went Monday and pre-ordered a cake from Sam's Club. I ordered a round chocolate cake with an edible topping. It was flowers with her picture in the middle and then purple edging and around the side of the cake it read "Happy 12th Birthday Rachel." I also wrapped all of her presents on Monday and had those already to go.

Well as you all know Averien came on Wednesday and so for Rachel's birthday we had to simplify. She said she loved it though. I left her a present to open Friday Morning when she woke up. I had bought her a really pretty wrap sweater and I wanted her to look pretty on her birthday. I think that she did.

In the morning when Rachel opened the curtains to look for Jacob's bus she saw a sign on the lawn that said Happy Birthday. She was so excited to see that. It came from the young women's presidency. They made a bunch of signs to put on the lawn for all the young women's on their birthdays. It was so cool. It just made Rachel's day to see that.

For dinner Rachel wanted a stake dinner. Enoch made steaks for us they didn't turn out too great. They were perfect but then while he was cooking them I had kid drama and he came and helped me and the steaks got over cooked. Oops. I felt bad. Rachel still was grateful and loved it all. We also had a Cesar salad and then I helped Rachel make this jello with whip cream and fruit mixed in with that. Rachel was really happy with what we ate.

After dinner we had family come over for cake and presents. Rachael came over with her boys, Madeline, Brytton and Evie came as well as Gregorie and Grandma Heileson. Rachel loves having family be at her events and loves feeling special and being the center of attention. We had cake first. It was fun to see all the Grand kids gathered around the table excited for cake. I will say that cake was awesome especially because of the butter cream frosting. Yum.

After cake we opened presents. Rachel was so anxious for this. I wish I had taken a picture of all her presents because they looked so nice but one of them was huge. From Grandpa and Grandma Heileson she got a new shirt and a grand piano charm for her charm bracelet. She got a charm bracelet for Christmas and has now started collecting them. It is really fun and she is so excited to get charms for it. Her piano too looks like a real piano. It is so awesome.

Madeline, Brytton, Evie and Gregorie gave her money. She is excited because she has some things she wants to get with it. Rachael, Joseph, Carter and Collin gave her chocolate and then balloons (and balloons for all the boys that say stuff like your are now a big brother Kaelen, Happy 12th birthday Rachel and so on). That was Kaelen's favorite gift to come into the house. Rachael and Joseph are making her a pegboard to put all of her hair stuff and jewelry on it to hang in her room. It was not quite done yet so she will get it later.

Rachel got from Kaelen a Taylor Swift poster and man she freaked out when she saw it. She has been asking for one for so long and let me tell you they are hard to come by. I finally found one for her. Jacob got her a littlest Pet Shop Blyth babysitter doll with pets. Rachel doesn't play with many toys but she still plays with Littlest Pets all the time. Rachel will even get Jacob to come and play with her. It is really fun. Jacob for weeks has known exactly what he wanted to get her and he even wrapped the present himself. I am sad that I never took pictures of the present because it was pretty cute. The only thing I helped him with the wrapping was cutting the paper. He did the rest and he was so proud of how it turned out.

I got Rachel 2 more charms for her bracelet. I got her an R with little diamonds in it and then a heart with her birthstone. She is getting such a great collection for her charm bracelet. She has mentioned that this summer in Canada she wants to find a maple leaf for it. I think that it is fun that she wants to look for charms now and collect them at each place she goes.

Enoch and I bought her another sweater to wear and then a whole new outfit for church. We bought her a new skirt, a couple of shirts to go with the skirt, a camisole and a jacket. We wanted her to feel and look beautiful at church on Sunday at her first time in young women's. I loved her outfit. I wanted it.

Rachel loves earrings and jewelry and asked for some for her birthday. Well I figured instead of buying jewelry we would buy her beads and everything she needed to make jewelry. She got tons of stuff for it. She was excited as ever to get it. I know that she will get tons of use out of it all.

Rachel got so many phone calls and emails too. She loved getting a phone call first thing in the morning and then getting phone calls all day and then in the evening too. I am so grateful for you all for helping make Rachel's birthday wonderful.

I can't believe that my little girl is now 12 and is heading to young women's. I am so proud of her. It is crazy to think that Rachel is going to be a teenager soon. She has though grown up into be a beautiful young women with amazing talents and an amazing spirit. We sure love her and are so grateful everyday for her.

We love you Rachel. Happy Birthday.

***February 9th- Since Rachel's birthday she has made 2 necklaces and 4 pairs of earrings. She loves her jewelry making stuff.

***Grandpa and Grandma came to visit and for Grandma to come and help out with Averien and when they came they brought Rachel her birthday present. They bought her a computer chair for her bedroom. Her chair matches her room color perfectly. When they gave it to her they had a balloon (which she got from her birthday already) tied to it. They had just the seat on the couch. She was so excited when she got it. She also got some Polly pockets that she doesn't play with but the clothes should fit her littlest pet shop Blyth doll. Kaelen really loves her chair too.