Birthday party

Last weekend we had Lily's 3rd birthday party. Grandma and Grandpa flew in on Friday night after the kiddos were in bed (and they went back home Sunday afternoon...love makes you do crazy things). Lily was supposed to sleep with Andrew so that Grandma and Grandpa could have their very own guest room (for the first time in 18 months)...but Lily was so disappointed that she wouldn't have them as "roommates". So we caved and made them share with her once again. Soon her crib will be gone and so will that option.

Saturday morning we woke up to hear Lily singing and talking with Grandma and Grandpa in bed. Andrew went in and joined the cuddle fest (Mikey was still sleeping, due to a 5am milk wake up call). Jeff and I stood in the doorway and watched the love, until Lily said, "Mommy, Daddy, you go away." Alrighty then.

We got them all ready and Grandma and Grandpa took all 3 kids to Sesame Place in the morning. They got season passes with the kids last year...Jeff and I don't have passes. Best. Idea. Ever. Now when we pass the park on the way to Target, Lily always calls out, "Look! The rubber ducky! When Grandma comes we go there!" A special place. PLUS...added bonus...Jeff and I got the morning to ourselves. We went out to breakfast at this fabulous but tiny restaurant in our downtown (pumpkin pancakes...mmmmmm) and then did less glamorous home projects like putting the bikes in the attic and making birthday cupcakes and washing the kitchen floor and wrapping presents.

When they all came back home, tired and exhausted, Lily and Michael went down for their naps. Grandma told Andrew that he will be flying to Ohio for a Buckeye game (more on the later). Jeff's cousin DJ, wife Elle, their daughter Lily (confusing much?), and Jeff's grandma drove in from a western suburb of Philly. We all sat around and waited for our Lily to wake up. I eventually had to wake her at 4:40...let the fun begin!

Eating pizza...she only choked down one tiny sliver before demanding cake

In her princess crown...which destroyed her pigtails when she ripped it out of her hair.


No birthday would be complete without one of my pathetic cakes. No matter how much icing I use, the cake always shows through. At least it didn't collapse or get stuck in the pan! And it was yummy! Chocolate fudge or some other yummo flavor.

My 3 year old having a fit because we won't let her have a 3rd piece of cake. She ate all the icing off of her own cake and then told Grandpa (in the blue shirt there) that his cake looked better than hers. He agreed to switch cakes with her, and she unceremoniously shoved the rest of her cake into her mouth and then proceeded to devour his cake.

Lily playing with her new dollhouse. Michael coveting it from a far.

Michael and cousin Lily. Lily was coloring. Michael was eating crayons. He doesn't like cake, but boy-howdy...that colored wax is DELICIOUS

Singing Happy Birthday to my girl. She sings right along.

All in all a fantastic little 3rd birthday party. She got a psychotic looks-alive stuffed cat...more on that later. She got a big FP dollhouse from Jeff and I and then rooms of furniture from Memere and Pepere, Uncle Chad, Grandma and Grandpa. She got a painting craft and a sweatshirt from DJ and Elle and Lily. She got a flashlight from Andrew which is so bright it will probably mean she will need to get a seeing eye dog for Christmas. She got beautiful hand-made dress up clothes from Aunt Sara.

I'd say she made out pretty well. Now if she could just figure out a way to keep Michael and Andrew out of her new stuff... Poor middle child. :)