Pearl is 7!

Our sweet Pearl-girl turned 7! We are big believers in “Birthday Week” in our house so we’ve spent all week celebrating Pearl.

Last week started off with a family swim and then a trip up Coast to Pender Harbour. Last year, unable to travel or have a party for Pearl’s birthday, we had a little getaway at a B&B nearby in Roberts Creek. This year we headed the opposite direction and spent a night in Pender. We stayed in a hotel and ate a sit-down meal in a restaurant. Peter and I hadn’t given much thought to the fact that this was our girls’ first time eating in a restaurant in 2 years. They were both amazed and confused by the concept. (Wow! We each get our own napkin! Why doesn’t the food come immediately after we order it? Is all this water for us? What do you mean we have to wait for the bill?) The hotel didn’t serve breakfast but we let them pick out their own cereal at the grocery store and had a leisurely Sunday morning watching the Olympics on TV. After checking out we explored a nearby lake we hadn’t visited before.

Restrictions around gatherings in BC lifted just the week before Pearl’s birthday so a party would have been possible this year. But not knowing whether or not restrictions would change and still feeling strange around combining various social circles, we opted for a small party the evening of her birthday. We had two other families over for dinner and Pearl planned games for the kids. This year her chosen theme was: Cats and we had lots of fun wearing cat ears, playing pin-the-tail-on-the-cat and baking what Pearl dubbed “cat bars”. While part of her was still missing a party, I think our girl felt well celebrated.

Pearl is such a fun, smart, goofy kid. I love seeing her personality grow and shine. I love seeing the way she has developed and blossomed in school. She is a keen observer, quiet and thoughtful but bold and hilarious when she wants to be. She is quirky but self-possessed, confident in her own unique personality. She is often thinking about others, especially her little sister. She is imaginative and creative and loves crafting and creating. She loves spending time with her favourite people and while she doesn’t always love change, she is great at trying new things (most of the time). Being her mom is such a gift and I can hardly believe I’ve gotten to fill this role for seven years now.