A Big Day for A Little Girl

Anna Jean had a BIG day turning 8 this week!

Mommy and Daddy gave her a few gifts, including a new carousel charm for her charm bracelet.  The little horses actually spin around.  (Anyone who knows Anna knows how she LOVES carousels.)

And Anna was very happy to take her spending money from Nana and Papa to Concord Mills, the biggest mall around.  It is one mile to walk all the way around Concord Mills: in two hours, we only made it through about half the mall. She sure had fun on her birthday evening shopping!

Anna used her birthday money to buy a pink unicorn at Build-A-Bear which she named "Polly," then renamed "Nichole," then renamed "Samantha."  The poor unicorn is so confused it doesn't know what its name is.  

Anna also bought high-heeled shoes for Polly/Nichole/Samantha, along with a hairdryer to dry its hair and a phone to call it on.  

And on the way to and from the mall, Anna got to ride in a car without a carseat in the front seat.  She was sooooo excited!  North Carolina law lets kids out of booster seats and allows them to ride in the front at age 8.  For the first time in 13 years, Tim and I do not have a child in a carseat!

Anna was also SUPER stoked to receive three new Thea Stilton books - her very favorite book series in the whole world - from Mike and Kathy Geers.  Thank you Mike and Kathy for remembering and celebrating Anna's birthday with her!

And thanks also to everyone for the cards and Facebook wishes that were sent to Anna.  She read them all on her "big" day.  She had a GREAT 8th birthday!

p.s. - And thank you to Mamaw and Papaw for sending Anna's card.  She had a great time at Walmart!