HaPPY bIRTHDAY, aUDREY! Our Family Birthday traditions

We celebrated Audrey's 11th birthday this Monday.  We have a few birthday traditions in our family that helped to make this day extra special for our birthday girl.

Our birthday traditions actually start the night before the birthday.  I say this birthday verse as I tuck the birthday girl into bed:

"When I have said my evening prayer,
and my clothes are folded on the chair,
When mother turns out the light,
I will still be ten years old tonight.

But before the very break of day,
Before the children rise and play,
Before the darkness turns to gold,
Tomorrow I will be eleven years old.
Eleven kisses when I wake.  Eleven candles on my cake."

The birthday girl receives her beautiful felted birthday crown to wear on her special day. We present the crown early in the morning along with the birthday angel that only makes an appearance on birthdays.

We eat birthday pancakes for breakfast. 11 pancakes stacked up high with 11 candles because she is 11 today!

We decorate our birthday ring with 11 candles and I tell Audrey's birthday story as we light one by one.

Audrey chose a chocolate birthday cake this year. We decorated it with beautiful flowers.

We sing "Happy Birthday" and Audrey blows out her candles. And of course, she is given some very special birthday gifts.