Our first baby girl is only days away from turning DOUBLE-DIGITS! What the what!?

We’ve got these daily facebook memory pics popping up of when our adventures in parenthood, and as travelers with a baby in tow, started all those years ago. It’s crazy to see. It doesn’t feel like 10 years have passed, but they have.

In my mind, turning 10 is a pretty big deal. So when I asked Arias to make a list of ideas of what she wanted for her birthday party and gift requests, I was expecting more. I was thinking she would ask for the world.

But she didn’t. She was extremely reasonable. She wants a low key party with friends and a family night of watching movies. Even her gift suggestions were small. Focusing more on-time together than “product in hand”.

It made my heart burst with love/pride/happiness to see this list. If I can give myself and Eben a pat on the back, I think we’re raising her right.

 

So what do you get for a 10-year-old girl who hasn’t asked for much?

 

Funny enough, her lack of requests made us want to shower her with more! Without going crazy of course! 

>>I am writing these here without fear that she will see them as she doesn’t go online or read the blog…but if you happen to see her, know that these are all SURPRISES!!! Don’t tell her!<<<

 

Here are the 5 gifts that what we came up with for her:

 

1) An adventure with Eben.

There is nothing more precious than time spent together.

Eben thought of this one. A while back Arias requested a camping trip, just the two of them. Some quality father-daughter time. And at some other point, since we have moved to Baja, she expressed her interest in going off-roading.

This year Arias’ birthday lands on a Wednesday. We will do her party on the following Saturday.

But…

On her actual birthday, once she is done with her school day, Eben is going to whisk Arias away on an epic adventure. They are going to hop into one of Black Sheep Motorsports’ side-by-side all-terrain vehicles and head off the beaten path for a desert camping adventure. Just the two of them. They probably won’t even venture far from town. That’s not the point. The all-terrain vehicle, the camping, the one on one time.

She is going to love it!

 

2) Books!!!

Arias devours books. She loves to read. She has read her way through most of the books she is interested in at the local library! One of her birthday present suggestions were more books. Rick Riordan books to be specific.

However, bookstores here are scarce. And getting things shipped here (in time for her birthday) is also tough. So we’re going digital.

As part of her homeschooling, we got her an iPad mini a couple years ago. Pair that with my handy library card, and she will have access to tons of books. FREE!

To any family friends reading this wondering what to get her for a present, she would be over the moon with amazon money to purchase books for her iPad or our kindle. For real. She loves books.

 

3) A Journal.

From Ellia.

For Ellia’s birthday last April, Arias got her a journal. When Ellia opened her gift she was stoked, and Arias was happy for her…but she was also looking at that journal with longing eyes.

It was so easy to see that she wanted one for herself.

So Ellia is returning the favour. We got her this DIY journaling kit, that she can completely personalize.

 

4) A Haircut.

It may sound silly, but we’re sure she’ll love it.

I have always cut the girls hair. And I’m not terrible at it. But there is something special about getting your hair cut by an actual hairdresser!

On the day of her birthday party, we have our friend Bridget, a professional hairdresser, coming before the party to glam up Arias’ hair.

She’ll feel like a princess at her 10-year-old birthday ball.

 

 

5) The big gift. The one that will get us some serious brownie points. Aerial silk set.

Seeing how much she has loved learning to do aerial silks, and how good she is at it, we’re thinking this is going to be THE GIFT.

We found the aerial silks hardware on Amazon and had it shipped to Eben when he was in the States for the boat show. And the material we bought at a fabric store here in La Paz.

Now Eben has about a week left to think up some sort of structure or wire to be able to connect it to so that she can get twirling as soon as she opens it.

 

That’s It!

That’s what she’s getting. Three physical gifts (two of which are new, and one is us giving her access to my library card!), one experience, and one adventure.

I have to say I am pretty excited to see her face when she gets each of these.

And again…these are all SURPRISES…don’t speak of any of it if you see her!