to teach Emmie the Star-Spangled Banner.  Upon trying to retrieve the words from memory, I found that I could only recall the version my wily Uncle Les had sung so unceremoniously at a few minor league baseball games we had attended together:

"Oh, say can you see
Any dead bugs on me?
If you do,
Pick a few,
Make a sandwich or two."

Good for a laugh, but now I am having to Google the "Star-Spangled Banner".  I feel so unpatriotic...

Here is the evidence of Emmaline's five-year birthday!  First let's have a look at the birthday girl who looks like she already had a party in her sleep:

(I'm sure she is going to LOVE this picture when she's a teenager!)

(She wasn't quite awake, yet, I think.)

She received a doll from her Nona and some doll clothes and other little trinkets from us.
And the cupcakes are supposed to look like Hello Kitty. (I have never claimed to be the world's greatest cake decorator.  Let's just leave it at that.)