My baby is 3!

My baby turned 3 yesterday. I am not one to get overly sentimental on birthdays because I really think my kids just get more fun and amazing with each passing year. But something about Caroline turning three kind of got me. One year olds are just upright babies to me; two year olds still have a lot of baby left in them, but three year olds? There is no way around it -- three year olds are no longer babies. So with Caroline turning three, we officially have no more babies in the house. Thankfully, there is so much noise and chaos around here that I don't really have the time or silent moments of peace needed to reflect on that. Moving on . . .

We had great day. Caroline and I had lunch at Another Broken Egg Cafe, and I let her open numerous jelly packets to celebrate her big day. I also let her try to spread her own jelly with a butter knife (but drew the line at her licking the knife. On second thought, maybe we DO still have a baby in the house . . .) Then we went to Smith's to pick out a birthday toy. Caroline chose a plastic, feathery tiara, as seen in this picture:



We picked up the big kids from school and went to Yogurt Lab, and then came home and heard, what else?, the ice cream truck. Back to back ice cream (followed by cake and ice cream) -- that's what birthdays are all about.



Apparently I've set some unfortunate precedent on the party front, because my firstborn seemed to think that Caroline's party was lame. I did not have presents wrapped for her when we got home. The house was not decorated. There was no labeled food. I explained that we'll have a party for Caroline in a couple of weeks, but Jacob did not think that that excused the lack of pomp and ceremony on her actual birthday. I think I see some deprogramming in our future. In any event, Caroline seemed to enjoy her simple dinner (pasta, her request) and simple store bought cake (sorry, third born child) and simple present opening with just the five of us.



To placate Jacob, who could not forgive the absence of decorations, we hung Caroline's present (a play tent) in her room. It is very sweet and whimsical; what kid wouldn't like playing in this?





(Yikes, that thing needs to be ironed!)

Caroline LOVED the castle that Aunt Diane, Uncle Sal and Alex gave her!



Here she is, sitting in it and pretend blowdrying her hair:



And she loved spinning in the princess dress from Uncle Grady, Aunt Kimberly, Nolen and Cantrell!



I love my birthday girl so much!!