Hey, everyone! I wanted to do a St. Patrick Day themed-party for Josefina on March 17th, but I didn’t have my stuff unpacked in time. I didn’t even have green decorations. So, I decided to do something else…make her birthday into something different! Make an epic photo story out of it! So, that’s just what I decided to do…

*story ‘narrated’ by me*

IMG_8503Josefina was once again nervously worrying about her party. She did this to herself every year – well except for her first birthday (that was a surprise party.)

IMG_8504“Oh dear,” she was saying to herself as she prepped the flowers.

IMG_8505“What if no body likes my party? What if something terribly AWFUL happens?!”

IMG_8506Josefina’s thoughts were interrupted by Joy coming through the door.

IMG_8507“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, bestie!” Joy greeted her BFF. “Thanks for coming early like I asked! I need some help setting up for my party.” Josie was saying to Joy.

IMG_8508“The silverware goes here,” Josefina instructed.

IMG_8509“Is this your birthday throne?” Joy asked, pointing towards a fancy-looking seat.

IMG_8510“Oh, no no no!” Josefina laughed, bending down to straighten the fabric. “I’m not having a birthday throne this year.”

“You WHAT?! Where will you open presents?” Joy gasped.

“I’m not getting any presents this year.”

“Yes you are…” Joy mumbled.

“No…Mama already talked to me about it. She just didn’t have any time to get any ready. She told me that my birthday isn’t all about presents.”

“That’s crazy. Of course you’re getting presents!” Joy didn’t seem convinced Josie wasn’t going to get any birthday gifts.

IMG_8511“Oh don’t be silly. Presents aren’t that big of a deal anyways,” Josefina smiled.

IMG_8512“You know it really seems as if you’re trying to convince yourself that you’re not going to get any presents. Well, you’re wrong, because I know exactly what you’re getting!” Joy smiled mischievously.

IMG_8513“Well, it doesn’t matter anyways!” Josefina insisted, re-braiding her hair. “I’m just so nervous about the party I can’t even think about presents.”

IMG_8518Josefina nervously swatted at a fly who seemed to be checking out the cakes.

IMG_8524“Do you think this platter will be enough extra food for any extra-hungry guests?”

IMG_8525“Are you kidding? That’ll be YOUR plate!” Joy gave her bestie a hug. “For goodness sakes, it’s your birthday! Give yourself some love…”

All of the sudden, they heard a “HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSEFINA!!!!”

“Oh my gosh! The guests are here!”

IMG_8528Josefina got tackled by her sister.

IMG_8529An embarrassed Emelie stepped in the room and picked Molly up off of Josefina. “Sorry…she was so hyperactively excited she could hardly contain herself. Breathe, Molly, breathe…”

IMG_8530“Hey, sis,” Cécile stepped in the room to give Josefina a (calmer) hug.

IMG_8531Jasmine finally arrived carrying Jessa. “I looked everywhere for her, she was hiding from me! She said she wanted to celebrate with you, but then, she hid from me, and then hid her shoes from me, so, she arrives to you barefoot.” Jasmine breathlessly grinned as she handed the sheepish mini doll over to Josefina.

IMG_8532“Thanks!” Josefina smiled. “Let’s party!”

IMG_8534The girls were sat down at a table with wonderful cakes and cupcakes and cookies and tarts.

IMG_8535Molly is about to dig into a a little cake…

IMG_8538Josefina’s enjoying her cookie…

IMG_8540Jessa has an enormous cupcake!

IMG_8541Emelie has a slice of banana cake…

IMG_8542Joy and Cécile have some yummy cupcakes…

IMG_8543Jasmine has a nice mint green chocolate cupcake…

IMG_8544And finally, Josefina is about to dig into some ice-cream after her cookie!

IMG_8545Then, after the fruit punch had been drank, the girls got fancy and had some tea!

IMG_8548“Oh dear!” CéCé gasped. “I just spilled it…sorry…”

IMG_8549“Not to fear! I have a napkin.” Joy offered. (Joy is now obsessed with polkadots if you noticed her dress and napkin…)

IMG_8550Soon everything was eaten and drank.

IMG_8551As the girls started to scoot back their “chairs” (the best I could find was some AG boxes. LOL) they fell over!

IMG_8552“Well that was interesting,” Jasmine laughed.

IMG_8553“Hey, where am I going to sit?” Jasmine cried as they crowded around the birthday girl (PRESENT TIME!).

IMG_8554“Sorry, look’s like you’ll have to stand,” Molly giggled.

IMG_8555“SCOOT OVER!” Jasmine demanded as she toppled onto Molly.

“HEY!”

“You know if we had proper chairs, I wouldn’t be squishing you.” Jasmine laughed.

“I’m so sorry about that guys – those were the only thing Mama could find for us to sit on!” Josie apologized.

“Oh, no, it wasn’t your fault – it was all Madison’s fault for not finding better chairs.” Jazzy reassured.

“You know you can just say mom, right?” Molly asked.

Jasmine glared with a distinctive glare that had only been seen a few times. It was a staring glare, with a set jaw and slightly scrunched eyebrows. With icy cold eyes that were raging with hurt, anger, and grief.

She’s not. My mom.” Jasmine pronounced every word slowly between her grit teeth.

“Sorry, I forgot,” Molly giggled.

“It’s not funny!” Jasmine yelled.

“Well, sorry! Miss grouchy pants! Mom said you could call her ‘mom’ too, if you wanted to.”

“She’s NOT my mom!!!!”

“I didn’t say she was!”

“My REAL mother died in a-“

“I know, I know. A club in Las Vegas. Can’t you get over it all ready? All of us came from the American Girl orphanage but NO, you had to be one of those special dolls with an actual doll mom and dad!”

“You’re just jealous because you don’t know what it’s like to have a mother that’s not 5 FOOT ONE AND A HALF!!!!!!!!! And we’re only 18″ inches!”

That led Molly to wondering how Jasmine knew how tall her mom was, then Molly turned angry.

“Are you saying they’re SOMETHING WRONG WITH HAVING A HUMAN MOM?!?!!!! HALF THE DOLLS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD A DOLL MOM AND DAD BUT LITTLE PARENTS THEY WERE TO YOU ANYWAYS! Madison was kind enough to take you in as her own, because they were so bad you had to be taken away from them!

That last sentence did it.

Icy silence remained. Molly’s words hung in the air like a thick fog.

Jasmine’s eyes looked wet and were about to overflow with tears. Her little hands were balled into tight fists. Her cheeks were scarlet red and her lip was trembling.

“Oh my gosh – I’m sorry Jaz, I didn’t mean it that way -” Molly finally said, realizing she had once again spoken without thinking.

IMG_8556Jasmine jumped up and ran out the door crying.

IMG_8557“Jaz wait!” Molly cried, but Emelie held her back.

IMG_8558IMG_8559IMG_8560“Way to go, Molls.” Cécile sighed.

IMG_8561“I KNEW something horrible would happen to my party.”

IMG_8562“Oh my gosh…I’m so sorry Josefina!”

IMG_8563All of the sudden, a petrified scream was heard.

“It’s Jasmine,” Cécile said calmly.

“Does this happen a lot?” Joy asked, who wasn’t here when Jasmine had first came – she had arrived a broken hearted, really mean girl with a troubled past. Since then, she had gotten saved and had become a Christian, and then Joy arrived a year later.

“Yeah, a lot. I need to go after her and see what’s wrong.”

IMG_8564“Maybe she saw a snake or something.”

IMG_8565“Me too! She’s my friend. What if something happened to her?”

“Haven’t you done enough? She’s really angry with you!”

IMG_8566Cécile left to go find her BFF.

IMG_8567CéCé found Jasmine lying on my bed, gasping.

“What’s wrong?!” Cécile screeched.

IMG_8568“Get Madison,” Jasmine could barely whisper. Her face was tear stained and her ankle looked horribly swollen.

IMG_8570“It’s my ankle.”

TO BE CONTINUED