November highlights {Cece is 9!, Phipps holiday show, health updates, Greta is 12!, Santa Claus}
1) Cece is 9! last year we stepped back from planning big friend birthday parties for the older girls, and I proclaimed that we would only do big parties for upcoming milestone birthdays (like 10 and 16). well... I had a change of heart by the time this fall rolled around and decided that if we have the means (and the energy!) to do a bigger party, it's worth it for them to feel celebrated individually. Cece planned a Halloween-themed party for the week after Halloween and asked her guests to dress up in costumes ("but nothing too scary because we don't want to scare the babies"). Cece's actual birthday fell on a school day. she came home from school and immediately opened presents, then headed to basketball practice where she brought cupcakes to share with her teammates. of course she had a cupcake there, then after she got home, we had more cupcakes and sang to her. the third grade homeroom teacher draws birthday portraits for each student -- so sweet! (he a...