Ellie's first Dora Birthday party

The last night in Utah we had a family party for Ellie's birthday. I know it's a couple weeks early at that point, but living so far away from family my kids never get the kind of family parties that I grew up with. Of course the cake was Dora as that is what she is obsessed with.

She got lots of fun presents but was so excited for all the Dora stuff she got like the cute pj's she hates to let us wash since she can't wear them that night.

I loved having all my siblings together for the evening. My aunt and uncle and some of their kids and grandkids were even able to come.

My family has a couple traditions that are too "weird" for my husband so they have not carried on at our house but being back at my moms with all my family my kids got their first taste of them. I thought it was so much fun to see Ellie's reaction to them.

The first is when someone is going to give the birthday person a present everyone sings, "Heavy, heavy hang over thy poor head. What do you wish this person with a bump on the head". The present is then bumped on the birthday person's head. Then the birthday person has to wish the giver a wish before the giver gives the present over.

Through the years many things have been wished. But Ellie wasn't sure what to say at first, I gave her lots of suggestions. She said "money" on the first one. Then since everyone seemed happy with that she proceeded to say "Money" to every single person. At least it's something young and old would love to have more of.

The other tradition is at the end of singing Happy Birthday before the person blows out the candles everyone sings, "Stand up, Stand up, stand up and take a bow." The person then stands and takes a bow. It is sung over and over again until the person stands and takes a bow. Once they have done that everyone sings, "Sit down, Sit down, we've had enough of you now." They can then blow out the candles.

Ellie had learned to follow what was told, when we sang stand up she stood up, she took her bow almost on cue, but when we started to sing sit down, she panicked and ran for a chair to sit down in as quick as she could. It was really funny.

Overall, it was a wonderful night, though a little crazy, but that's what I love and miss about family parties living so far away. I hope everyone else enjoyed it as much as I did. And if they didn't, well I appreciate them pretending to for my sake.