Three!

Our little lady girlfriend is three - how did that happen so fast? She's been very excited about her birthday for weeks, as most little kids are, and has been mostly intent on discussing the dessert menu (cake, ice cream and WHIPPED CREAM!) She got up on her birthday and came and crawled into bed with us, and we listened to the Beatles "Birthday," which she loved. Then we spent most of the morning cooking and baking. Pancakes for breakfast, our dinner meals, and the world's ugliest birthday cake.

She wanted a pink cake with purple frosting. As you can see, I am not that great with the food coloring. Enjoy your bloody gray cake with random hot pink sprinkles! (she was in charge of the sprinkling.) It still tasted okay, and Ellie thought it was beautiful, so that's what matters.

Our families came over after nap time, and it was GAME ON. Ellie immediately opened any present that came into her orbit and was so excited about each thing she received. She immediately requested an outfit change into her new shirt from Mimi, and then she and Gigi started making jewelry with the new beads Sara had gifted to her.

(a lecture about not eating beads, and not letting Adam eat beads.)

It is so sweet to see Ellie with her grandpas. She may run to her Gigi and her Mimi first, but she knows when she needs a sucker... err.. a playmate, it's best to hit up Pa or Grizz. Pa for gentle play, Grizz for screaming and rough housing.

There was a lot of bubbling blowing with Pa and also with Sara. We had to almost physically pull her into the house to eat dinner and have cake.

It was really a fun night. A little crazy towards the end as Ellie got revved up on sugar, but good. I am always glad at the end of the evening that we just have our families over, and don't do a huge friends and family and everyone we know party. Maybe when she's a little older.

And then, for reference, when I went in to take a sneaky photo of her at 10:30pm (the time of her actual birth) SHE WAS STILL AWAKE. This is why I roll my eyes whenever anyone suggests that Ellie will go to sleep without a fight. The kid hates being well rested.

Adam had been tired the whole party, but hung in pretty well. He was happy to snuggle between Mimi and Gigi, with a brief break to get smashed up in the ergo. Then at the end of the night, we tried to get a few family photos.

It was not our best effort. Thank goodness for professional photos on Wednesday. Or not, depending on how well the session goes.

I was telling Tim yesterday that the third birthday feels different than the other two. The first year, we were mostly proud of ourselves for having kept her alive for an entire 365 days. Her second year, she was still so much a baby. But watching her turn three, I feel really proud of her. Proud of the little girl she's become and who she's going to be. I'm proud of her spunk and spirit and what a sweet, loving big sister she's become. I'm proud of how much she loves music and books and dancing