Kylee is 6 and Project 61

Steve and I decided to make a new bedroom as a birthday surprise for Kylee. We called the secret plans "Project 61" (6 as in June and 1 as in the first) so that the kids wouldn't know what we were talking about. Every once in awhile Cody would say, "I keep hearing Project 61 this and Project 61 that. What in the world are you guys talking about?"

All of Steve's "spare time" during the three weeks leading up to her birthday was spent working on building her a bed and painting it. He had never made a bed before and he did an amazing job. 

The basement was off-limits for all three kids. Kylee would see Steve come home from Lowe's and haul lumber down the stairs; she could hear saws, hammers, and sanders; and she saw Steve come upstairs with paint-covered hands and clothes. Every day she would ask, "what could he be making out of wood?"

The night before Kylee's birthday the kids had a birthday sleepover in the other room. Once the kids were asleep, Steve hauled the headboard, footboard, and frame up the stairs and put it together (this thing weighs at least 150-200 pounds). We also bought her a new mattress and a duvet and I made some fun pillows to make the bed feel extra special for her (although I hate to cover up the beautiful headboard). 

We thought it might be fun to put her in the bed while she was sleeping so that she would wake up in it, but I was worried about her falling off since she's used to sleeping a lot lower to the ground. Concussions don't make very good birthday surprises. So, instead we just closed the door and waited until she woke up. Cody was the first one to wake and he saw the bed when he went in the room to get his scriptures. He came into our room wide-eyed and whispered, "I accidentally saw the surprise." It was a good thing Cody didn't know about it any sooner because he had ants in his pants waiting for the girls to wake up.

Here is a video of Kylee seeing the bed for the first time. I think it's funny that she's trying not to smile and then she asks, "what is it?"

There are a few more fun changes coming up for the girls' room that we will hopefully finish in time for Livy's birthday next week. It was kind of one big present to both of them to make a fun room.

My sister, Brooke, is a talented graphic designer and has a fun style. When she found out about Project 61 she offered to help make some custom art for their room. What a perfect present!!

The second we got home from church Kylee was ready to open the rest of her presents.

FROZEN on Blu-ray from Grandma Tammy and Grandpa Airplane. It was the first movie Kylee saw in theaters (with Grandma Tammy) and both Livy and Kylee LOVE this movie. They are always pretending to be Elsa and Anna.

Fashion notebook also from Grandma Tammy and Grandpa Airplane.

Livy was excited too and tried to "help" Kylee open her presents. Kylee wasn't a fan of that at all. Luckily, Liv doesn't have to wait very long to have her own day.

Grandpa Dean and Grandma Ellen gave Kylee a playdough ice cream machine. The kids spent the next two hours playing with it while Steve and I finished decorating the cake.

Livy caught on really fast after the first nibble that this wasn't real ice cream. Love that face.

We invited the Ladle family over for cake and ice cream and we were grateful they were willing to help us eat it up. This is the first cake of the birthday season and we have to pace ourselves.

Kylee wanted a Frozen cake (as in the movie) so we invented the blue velvet cheesecake cake. That's right. It was blue velvet, not red (basically red velvet with blue coloring instead of red). So there was a layer of blue velvet, then cheesecake, then another layer of cake. It turned out pretty good!

The very best part of the day was when Kylee was skyping with Grandma Tammy and grandma said, "Happy birthday, Kylee. I hope you feel special today."

And Kylee said, "I do."