My Baby is 3 Years Old!

I think yesterday was just about the most exciting day ever in ER's three years of existence! We hd her birthday party on her actual birthday and she was bouncing up and down literally the entire day. She couldn't manage to eat more than a few bites for breakfast, and once my parents showed up with her princess birthday balloons, well forget it!
We got to the party place a little early and they did a great job decorating with balloon centerpieces on each table, garland, and a festive Happy Birthday banner up by our reserved tables. But you KNOW I had to add my own touches! I made the photo banner with pictures from the past year in Photoshop Elements, using a template and the same digital kit I used for the invitation and favor bags. And because ER is just like Mommy and likes her fresh flowers, I had to put together a bouquet just for her☺ I thought the little butterfly doodad was so cute and had to add it in. Didn't Brad do a great job finding flowers that coordinated with the party's colors? One of my friends actually asked me where I got the arrangement done! So I guess I'll add floral arrangement to my areas of expertise☺
ER was a nonstop whirling dervish the whole time. It was hard to get to her to stop climbing, bouncing, jumping, sliding, or swinging. Can't believe how strong she is for such a skinny little thing, a future in gymnastics perhaps? Of course, rings are a male gymnastics apparatus, so she'll have to find something else to excell at. All the kids had a really great time running around the climbing on the indoor playscape. It was so nice to be in an air conditioned place and not have to worry about party plans being ruined by rain or extreme humidty. I am so glad that friends of ours had their daughter's birthday party here last February. ER has been back a few times since then and just loves it. She is capable of going all over it by herself, but will definitely take advantage of any adults willing to help hoist her up.

There was only the briefest of breaks to eat a quick slice of pizza and then...

It was back up to run around some more. I thought I'd have a bunch of pictures to share. But this is pretty much how most of them came out, a back view of ER running away from us! Did you note the lady bug shirt she's wearing? Yes even her outfit had to match our birthday theme, LOL. Actually it just happened that we have a lady bug outfit, but since it seemed so appropriate how could I NOT put her in it. Normally, she'd be in a dress but I convinced her to wear shorts so she could climb around more easily.

Like usual, Margaret's girls are camera ready and willing to pose! We had a twelve little ones at the party including ER but Margaret is the only one I've already asked for permission to post pictures of her kids.

What was nice about having it at this location is that you have a hostess. She keeps things moving along smoothly and serves everyone their food and drinks. Plus she let scheduled out the whole thing, letting me know when we should round up everyone to eat, open presents, and sing Happy Birthday. It was so nice not having to handle all the details.

Our kiddo got spoiled rotten by all her little friends! We can't believe the loot she made out with! She got two Barbies, one with puppies and a Cinderella one with her own horse! Plus a Littlest Pet Shop, ladybug game, princess art kit, monkey playdoh set, number dominos and puzzle matching game, even a Build A Bear kit to make one at home! That's before she even got to the gifts from her Grandparents! Thank you to all our family and friends you all made ER's birthday very exciting.

So one area I am definitely NOT very good at and probably will never be is baking. So I let the good people at Costco make and decorate ours. Last year Brad and I were up way too late the night before trying to decorate the cake and nearly ended up divorcing over it. Not really but man was it frustrating! Since I am not handy in the kitchen, I was sure to cuten things up with these lady bug plates. So sweet and simple to make. Just take two dessert plates, cut a quarter out of one and glue to the bottom plate. Make a U shaped head out of a third plate, punch holes, string through pipe cleaner and roll ends, and glue on. Voila, you have a lady bug plate!

I can't believe how fast the time has gone by! Can she really be three? At three she is definitely not a baby anymore. She's not really a toddler because she's not toddling around; she's very sure footed and has been since just over a year old. I guess she's officially a preschooler in the fall...sniff sniff...

This is the first year we've had a party for ER with her little friends from playground and the neighborhood. Only Margaret's girls came last year, they don't count as friends as they are more like family...honorary cousins if you will☺ She's known them practically her whole life. But even though this was very much a kiddie party, it wouldn't be complete without the Grandparents!

Grandma Norma came out and gave ER a "computer". Seriously this thing really does look like a laptop, you know if they were made out of plastic and really bright colors. Oh wait...some are LOL! This one is really cool and just right for ER. We had another electronic learning toy that I bought for a dollar at a garage sale but it's activities were too hard for her and she just got too frustrated. This one you press the keyboard and it says the letter or you can do typing and just press and hammer on the thing to your hearts content.

My parents were there too, of course! They gave her most of her gifts last Sunday at our big July birthday bash with them. Brad, my Mom, and ER are all July birthdays. It's a good thing because it took forever and a day to get through all the gifts she got today. She went at lightening speed unwrapping, well quickly for her anyway but it still seemed to go on awhile. Good thing she had some helpers! Some of the other kids wanted to help unwrap; little miss won't share at all was really good about it. I thought she'd freak out, but only hiccup of the day was when one of her older friends tried to tell her where to sit. Miss birthday princess was NOT having that one bit. I guess on your birthday it's okay to be a little bit of a diva right?
Well I am still exhausted from hosting the "easy" birthday party for ER. Easy because we had it somewhere other than my house and I didn't have to clean up for it, keep a dozen kids occupied during it, or clean up again afterward. Somehow it still ended up being a whirlwind. I can't imagine how tired I'd be if I'd had it at our house! Thank goodness for destination birthday parties, they're definitely a good thing in my book!