Elizabeth's 3rd birthday celebration

Yesterday was Elizabeth's third birthday.  In lieu of a birthday party, we did a family fun day and spent the day together as a family celebrating Elizabeth.

Ben and I had planned a whole day full of special meals and fun activities that we could enjoy all together.

 I set up the table for a special breakfast

 We put up a few decorations

 Elizabeth with her birthday doughnut

 She has to eat the sprinkles first

You must have a party hat and party accessories

 A few presents appeared at the front door

So Dad helped Elizabeth open them

 From her great aunts and uncle

After Elizabeth opened a couple of presents from her great aunts and uncle, we showered and dressed and headed over to Chuck E. Cheese.

Ben and I were not sure what to expect, but she loved everything!  We went to a Chuck E. Cheese in Fairfax and it was clean, organized, and everything was really maintained.  It wasn't too crowded, but I am sure more people were there than normal because Fairfax had a snow day.

We got a pizza, drinks, and 25 tokens.  I wasn't sure how many tokens she would use and we started with 25.  Well... after she played each game once, all she wanted to do was climb in the tube maze that goes across the ceiling.  We were there for 2.5 hours and Elizabeth easily spent 1.5 hours climbing in the tubes.

 A dance game

 A game where you push balls into a dogs mouth

 Basketball

Hitting some frogs

 This bike went up in the air when you pushed the pedals

 Stopping for a pizza break

 We thought this was just a horse.

Nope, it was a race horse

Caroline had a blast too!

 Gotta ride the carousel

 Climbing in the tubes

 And more climbing...

After we got back from Chuck E. Cheese, the girls went down for a nap/rest and we brought up all of Elizabeth's presents to open when she got up.  I went with a hot pink theme this year. 

 Presents from Mom, Dad, and Caroline 

and a few from Nana and Papa and Uncle Adam and Aunt Brigette

 She wanted to open the big one first

With a little help from mom

 It's a play kitchen!

 After presents, we had cake

 Elizabeth said she wanted a cake with sprinkles

Yummy!

We ended the day with some Chick-Fil-A at home.  Both of the girls were a little cranky, and we were all pretty tired, so Ben went and picked up Chick-Fil-A for us.  Elizabeth enjoyed eating her nuggets while watching Mickey Mouse.

Thank you to everyone that sent Elizabeth well wishes on her birthday and to everyone that sent her presents.  She had a great day and we really enjoyed spending the day together as a family.

THREE

Dear Elizabeth,

You are three years old today!

We absolutely cannot believe that you are three.  You are not our little baby any more, you are a kid for sure.  I am not exactly sure when that happened, but I began to notice it this summer.  You have become much more independent and want to do almost everything by yourself.

In the last year, you have:

- Had many, many snow days
- Found out you were going to have a baby sister
- Saw Uncle Adam and Aunt Brigette get married
- Picked strawberries at Butler's Orchard
- Moved out of your crib and into a full-size bed
- Flew to Texas for the 4th of July
- Did lots and lots of arts and crafts projects
- Played outside A LOT
- Mom stopped working and stays at home with you (and Caroline)
- You got a sister (Caroline was born!)
- Picked pumpkins at Butler's Orchard
- Dressed up as a princess for Halloween
- Spent a week with Nana and Pap Pap
- Went to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Went to Zoo Lights
- Sat on Santa's lap and told him what you wanted for Christmas, Gramps was there
- Spent New Years Eve with Jared and Kelly and Kylie
- Had your first ER visit when you and Mom fell on New Years day

You also:

- are potty trained
- have all your teeth (except your 3-year-old molars)
- still LOVE Mickey and Minnie Mouse
- have started to enjoy Doc McStuffins, Sophia the First, and Miles from Tomorrowland on TV
- LOVE to read, you would read all day if we let you
- love to do art projects and we color everyday
- love to do puzzles
- have started getting your nails painted, your favorite color to have on your nails is blue
- are very protective of your sister, you don't like strangers near her
- love to have dance parties

Your favorites:

Color: Purple
Show: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Book: Clifford the Big Red Dog
Food: Applesauce squeezie
Drink: Milk
Toy: Anything princess related
Art project: Anything with glue
Thing to do with Caroline: Lay on the tummy time mat with her

You wear size 3T clothes and size 6 shoes.  You wear a 3T coat and 2T-3T socks.  You love to have your hair in a pony tail or braids and you like to wear hair bows.  You also like to wear hair ties on your wrists (one on each wrist).  You go to the doctor this Friday but I think you are 37 inches tall and about 27 pounds.

You eat three meals a day and one afternoon snack, usually after your nap time.  You got to bed at 8pm and sleep until about 7am.  You nap from 2-4pm, or play in your room quietly. 

At bed time, we brush your teeth, read a book, and say prayers.  You have started saying the prayer once we start it and we usually let you finish it if you start.

You are very strong willed and don't like being told when to do something.  You like doing things once you are ready to do them.  You are also very funny and very loving.  You love to give hugs and cuddle in my lap.  You LOVE to be tickled and ask to be tickled at least twice a day.  You favorite thing to say right now is "NEVER!"

Some examples:

Mom- "Elizabeth, come here for dinner."
Elizabeth- "NEVER!"

Mom- "Elizabeth, it's time to put on your shoes."
Elizabeth- "NEVER!"

Mom- "Elizabeth, it's time to color."
Elizabeth- "NEVER!"

You then laugh hysterically and skip over to me saying "NEVER!" "NEVER!" "NEVER! " as you come over and do whatever it is that I have asked of you.  I believe you say this because you want to be in control and by saying "never" and then doing it, you have "decided" you are in control.  Or something like that...

Our sweet girl, we love you more than you will ever possibly know.  We are so proud of the polite, funny, smart, beautiful girl you have become.  We know that great things are in store for you and we pray that you continue to keep God at the center of your life.

All of our love,

Mom and Dad

 March snow storm

Easter

Telling the world you are going to have a sister

 Picking strawberries in June

 Texas in July

 Sidewalk chalk in August

 Meeting Caroline in September

 Halloween

 Hot chocolate at Thanksgiving

 Making a Gingerbread house

 Snow angels in January

 Family photo for your birthday

Mardi Gras festivities

Happy Fat Tuesday everyone!

We are snowed in around here and so with some advanced planning, I had arranged a whole day of Mardi Gras festivities (food) for us to enjoy while being snowed in.

 When everyone came downstairs this morning they were 

greeted to the table decorated for Fat Tuesday.

 Elizabeth quickly picked up the decorations and tried them on

 Caroline chilled on the tummy time mat.

She has been fighting a virus and a fever and has been pretty chilled out.

 Sitting down to breakfast

 A King Cake Coffee Cake for breakfast

Elizabeth refused to sit and eat, so she stood and ate

 After breakfast, Ben shoveled our driveway

 Ben worked from home today, but once he got off work, he took Elizabeth out in the snow.

She wanted to play on the deck and no where else.

 She took some toys out of her water table

Snow angel

Once Ben and Elizabeth came back inside, I made everyone some hot chocolate

 I got the table decorated for dinner

(I had to take the decorations back from Elizabeth)

 Our centerpiece

 Dinner time!

I made Jambalaya for the first time ever.

We thought it was great!

 Tomorrow is Elizabeth's 3rd birthday so we took some pictures after dinner

Her last night of being two

 She loves to "help" with the camera

A good, non-blurry photo

We hope everyone had a great Mardi Gras!