The other member of our family....Ninee

It wasn't exactly a revelation...but it was definitely a conscientious decision to allow Carlisle to PLAN her fourth birthday party.

For the first three years of Carlisle's life, I have picked birthday parties that were fun, cute, age appropriate and invited gobs of people. We always have tons of food and celebrate HER. Her life. Our excitement over being selected to be her parents. I've loved doing it.

But this time. This time was different.

Brian and I offered up some different options for her to choose from. Another swimming party? She mentioned that a skating party would be fun. We called, they said four year olds are way too young. We went through at least a dozen options until she decided on a SLEEP OVER.

I found some absolutely darling invitations on clearance. I printed them on the computer and sent them to the five friends that she decided on.

She also decided on the cake and some of the activities at the party. The cake she chose is a 'Ninee Cake'.

THE LOVE AFFAIR

'Ninee' is Carlisle's lamb, given to her over 4 years ago when I was still pregnant.

Some children take a passy, some suck their thumbs or fingers, some love their belly-buttons...

And, Carlisle? She has her Ninee.

As amazing as this sounds, she probably has NEVER slept a night without Ninee. He is tatered and falling apart in a way that only a little stuffed lamb who has been snuggled, loved, hugged, rubbed, cuddled, carried, dropped, dragged, stuffed, pulled, washed, smashed, slept-on, and smooshed could be. He once was gorgeous. Now he has the evidence of years of love and a small obsession from Carlisle. I have to wash him whenever I can get my hands on him because he gets dirty quick. I think Brian's Mom gets grossed out by Ninee and has sweetly bought her what Carlisle calls 'New Ninee'. Of course, she wants 'Old Ninee'. The creamy/brownish one missing it's stuffing, arms, ear, bow and fur.

He puts her in a trance. It is hilarious. I'm never getting rid of him. He makes her go from active, alert, happy girl to sleepy, groggy, nappy girl in seconds.

She rubbed the silky pink bow until it basically fell apart, I performed emergency surgery. I sewed another one on and she loved and rubbed it until it fell apart. I quit sewing it back on...so she moved on to his ear. Now she rubs, tugs and loves his ear. It looks like the people in Africa who put earrings in their ears to expand the hole until it is the size of a plate. Well, Ninee's ear could definitely fit a small saucer...


But, what's funny is Carlisle has such a great sense of humor about him.


We've caught her watching a movie with him drapped across her face. With one eye watching the movie through the hole in his ear!

We make fun of her and say:

'Carlisle, just rub your Ninee's ear and go to sleep'. She giggles, grabs his ear and falls right to sleep.


It's also a verb: 'Ok, Girls. Time to go Ninee.'


She also bites her lip when she grabs his ear. It's hilarious. We've named it 'Ninee Face'.

'Carlisle, make Ninee face and go to sleep.' She laughs...bites her lip and goes to sleep!


When anyone is sick, she rubs her Ninee on the sick person, seriously assuming that he will make them feel better.

So you should have heard me last week at the bakery. I took in a picture of Ninee for the cake. I was just as seriously describing Ninee to the lady. Explaining the hole in his ear, the tatered body, etc. I was SUCH a NERD.

I said to the lady, 'Is everyone as crazy as me when describing the specific cake they want.'
She thought about it for a minute and quietly said, 'Um....sometimes'.

My sister hyena-laughs at Carlisle, her Ninee and Brian and me.


It's overboard, it's obsessive, it's weird...


She LOVES Ninee.


Therefore, we love Ninee.

We've all been brainwashed by Carlisle to think that her Ninee is another member of our family.

Carlisle's 4th birthday party
started at the nail salon.
Manicures and pedicures for Carlisle, her 5 friends, and of course her little sister.

Little sissy's legs were WAY to short to reach the water, so the sweet lady
picked her up and stood her in the water and gave her the manicure while she stood there.

The suckers were a hit.

The Daddy's started turning on the girls massage chairs...

(click this to enlarge. SO CUTE.)

THE Ninee Cake

TinkerBell Movie