"I'm A Big Girl Now!"

Way back at the end of September, we celebrated Sophie's 3rd birthday.  I still can hardly believe that little firecracker of ours is three years old.  Sophie picked what she wanted to do for her birthday, right down to dinner.  She wanted Costco Pizza at the park.  We thought that was a fantastic idea!

The kids ate their dinner and played with Daddy at the playground.  Once it started getting dark, we took the kids to Walmart to pick up the cake that Sophie had ordered for herself earlier in the week.  She had been waiting for this cake for months!  BUT...she would have to wait a bit longer.  Presents first!

We called Grandma and Papa on the computer so they could watch as Sophie opened her gifts.  You have to love all this technology, huh?  Sophie made out pretty good this year, as always.  We tried to focus more on activities she could do as opposed to just toys.  She was delighted with each gift.  She got a couple of Princess puzzles from Claire and Johnny, and Mom and Dad got her a collection of Mercer Meyer's "Little Critter" books for story time, new jammies, a matching game, a new blanket, and a new Princess Aurora doll to sleep with.  Since this is Sophie's 3rd birthday, that meant she had to say goodbye to bottles and binkies at bedtime.  We were hopeful that a new blanket and doll might help the transition.  She loved everything she got, and we loved seeing our Sophie-kins so happy! (I should also add that within a week of her birthday, she also received some beautiful wood rainbow blocks from Grandma and Papa, an awesome giant floor puzzle from Grandma Candy, and a birthday card with $5 from Grandma Richard and Grandma Ruth Ann.  This is one loved little girl!)

After presents, Sophie finally got her cake!  We lit the candles (which Johnny was still very apprehensive about from his birthday experience), sang the song, and Sophie made her wish!  She loved her Princess cupcake cake, and especially the figurines and mood ring that came on top.  What we do as parents to make our children happy! :)

It was a perfectly wonderful day for a perfectly wonderful girl.  We love our Sophie more than words can say.  For as frustrating as that girl can be, she's even more fun.  We don't know what we'd do without you, Sophie, and we just love you to pieces.  We're excited to see what you'll learn to do (and say!) in the next year!

Happy Birthday, Sophie Anne!