Sunday, January 30, 2005
Was still feeling ill, but I couldn't miss out on this.
She received a bunch of flowers from a local florist from her Grandfather Joseph in France on the Friday, which she proudly displayed in her room. On Saturday morning she opened the presents sent to her from her Great Aunts and Uncles on my side of the family just after breakfast, which she was thrilled with -- and so the present-open began. Then over to GrandMa Jean's to drop in on her and to get her presents from her and Erika's other relatives. Probably the highlight for her was a small sewing machine given to her by Jean, along with the promise of lessons so that Vanessa could make her own dolls clothes.
Vanessa's 7th birthday party was held at the Art Garage, which teaches kids fun art and crafts techniques. Run by a young couple out of art school, they've been in The Beaches for about 6 years now, which counts for something like an institution in the ever-changing boutique businesses in the Beach. Vanessa's been going there almost as long as the place has been around, and I was pleased to note several of her "early pieces" enshrined behind various frames in the establishment, at least one or two seemingly having pride of place. If you ask Vanessa what she wants to be when she grows up, she say "an artist" with conviction, and am pretty sure the Art Garage has something to do with it.
The dozen or so friends started turning up around the appointed time, quickly filling up a table with even more presents. There was a space theme for the party, and the 3 young assistants (who do the parties by appointment on the weekends) started the kids making pictures of planets using by having them blow bubbles in water-based paint and then laying a sheet of paper over it, and then painting circles for the planets using cardboard masking tape roll tubes as a guide. Paint the areas outside of the circles black and the end result is some pretty trippy-looking planets. Needless to say, wearing water-proof smocks was a requirement for this stage.
Then came the making of the rocket ship, which was a paper aircraft that the kids could decorate however they liked with their own drawings and stickers. Then came snack-time, where I made a point of taking a digital snapshot of each kid in line for something planned for later.
The finale consisted of the birthday girl attaching a balloon to her space glider, threading a length of twine that ran the length of the establishment through a straw glued along the middle of the glider. A countdown later and the balloon-powered glider zoomed along the string -- until it hit a knot. Mechanical difficulties plagued the rocket's other missions as well, but all the kids had a great time. Not long after the various parents arrived to pick up their respective children, leaving not with treat bags but with the crafts they had gleefully created.
More presents were opened when we got back, and soon after we all headed off for a well-deserved nap. Still under the weather, I ended up sleeping most of the afternoon away.
Took the many shots of the kids and printed them out in card form, so that Vanessa could send personalized thank you cards to all of her friends.
It's hard for me to believe that seven years has already passed.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
