She's Three!

February 8th, 2013.  My baby girl turned 3.  It's hard to believe, and yet here we are!  The day before her birthday she received her  much anticipated and long awaited birthday card from her Great Grandma Krista. They never miss a beat!  Always a card and always a phone call and song on the birthday kiddo's special day.  The older I get the more I treasure such things.  I know Ava loved it because she carried her card around for days.  Taking it to bed and pulling it out to look at several times a day.

 And since we wouldn't be celebrating her birthday until the next day, I couldn't help but do something special for her on her actual birthday.  I took her to Harmon's and she chose lunch and a "snack".  I'm not sure doughnuts are considered appropriate snack fodder but, it was her birthday and I did say she could choose whatever she wanted.  Pink sprinkled doughnuts and mac and cheese.  This girl could live off cheese and doughnuts if I'd let her.

 She got a surprise visit from Auntie Kathy with an "early" present, then it was on as usual.  The next day we headed over to Build-a-Bear for her present from mommy and daddy.  She, "shockingly", chose a Disney princess bear which she then adorned with a Princess Aurora dress. She's only a tiny bit obsessed with pink.

Then a quick jaunt over to Grandma's house and it was finally time for the fun to begin.  Grandma went a bit above and beyond for her three little princess granddaughters   Ava loves to help Grandma, so she set the table while we prepped some food for lunch.

 The food was definitely fit for a princess.  Fruit wands with heart shaped fruit...

 A delicious cake/cupcake arrangement...

 Delicious peanut butter and honey crown shaped sandwiches... on pink bread specially made by Grandma of course...

 It was almost too pretty to eat...

 and the perfect drink for this sweet little princess meal, polka dot smoothies of course...

This little lady is next to have a birthday.  I have a sneaking suspicion it will be princess themed.  Miss Sophie loved her some fruit!

 Then it was dress up time.  We painted nails and put on crowns and all kinds of things to accessorize.  Each princess creating her own look.   (warning: way too many princess pictures coming up... I just couldn't help myself! Not to mention, Mom and Lindsay made a balloon wall just for the occasion.)

 Princess' Marleigh and Sophie...

 Finally it's time for cake!

 Sometimes three princess' at a party is kind of like too many chefs in the kitchen, it can get a bit touchy.  So we were sure to give each princes a chance to blow out the candles...

 Ava ate the frosting and ditched the cake.  Oh well.

 Have you heard of the cupcake sandwich?  If not, prepare to have your mind blown!  The newest "coolest" way to eat a cupcake.  Simply take the lower half of the cupcake bottom and place it on the top.  No more uneven cupcake to frosting ratios!  Ok.  I'm a nerd.  This kind of stuff gets me.

 I think she likes them...

And of course, as if all this wasn't enough, presents were a plenty.  She loves her Belle Barbie from her cousins and her new clothes from Grandma.

 And, miss lucky ducky Ava, usually has a birthday that lands around Chinese New Year.  Therefore, she gets an extra large celebration with Ong Noi and Ba Noi.  Not like they don't go nuts anyway for these munchkins.  And they insist there is cake.  Even though none of them like cake. They insist anyway.  So more candles, more presents and plenty of love were showered on the lucky birthday girl.

 On Chinese New Year the kids always get these cute little red envelopes (called Li Xi)  with a bit of spending cash for the lucky recipient.  Sometimes they give a few envelopes with a dollar or two in each or sometimes they get just one with a larger bill.  Ong Noi taught them exactly what to say and how to fold their arms and bow to show proper respect to the giver, in this case, Ba Noi.

 They stashed their cash in Mom's purse and played a bit before the New Year feast.  Have I mentioned my Mother in Law is a super amazing cook?  Yeah.  Nobody went to bed hungry that night.

As for me, I just love being around the family.  I love my kids birthdays because it gives us another reason to do so.  I am so super blessed with some pretty spectacular family.  And even though I'm not super thrilled with the fact that my kids are growing up so darn fast, I'm glad we are creating these memories with family all around while it all whizzes by at warp speed.  Happy birthday my darling, sweet and sassy little lady!  We love you more than words can say!