Third Birthday

... and other fun!

Friday night: dinner with new friends at Katie's Pizza & Pasta in Kirkwood. We were early so we walked around Lucky's (a grocery store) sipping a cider and a iced coffee before our reservation. We party real hard, folks. My mom watched the girls and Brett and Elise arrived from Chicago -- everybody stayed over in the studio so they were ready for -> 

Saturday - Josie's third birthday! I put off planning a party and then I received an email in mid-June from the library detailing July events. July 1 - the big day - was a joint author event between the library and Novel Neighbor featuring Amy Young, the author of a book C was given for her birthday, A Unicorn Named Sparkle. This event promised dress-up and cupcakes. Thank you for throwing me a  free birthday party, St Louis County Public Library System!

Anticipating a lot of photos, I made appointments for the girls to have their hair braided the morning of the event. This is Ellie: she's a braid ninja, she's from Togo, and her blush is perfection.

As billed, the event had cupcakes, unicorn horns, and crafts. Here the girls are laughing with the author/illustrator, in town to read her new book A New Friend for Sparkle.

The real highlight for Josie was being carried by Uncle Brett, who she adores.

"Best day ever."

Lunch across the street at Bricktops. Melissa brought her kids and even though there were presents for each girl, Clementine was undone at Josie's receiving even a smidge more attention and she cried and pouted and sulked for the entirety of the lunch.

Home for cake! And a new lovey, Pua.

Clementine perked up after she and Luke picked up the cake at LaBonne Bouchee and "cookies wif the round fings wif the letters!" [M&M cookies, also pictured]

The inspiration for this cake, you ask? Josie always selects My Little Pony books from the library and in the weeks leading up to her birthday would exclaim I want a cake yike dat! when we reached this page in Pinkie Pie's Special Day.

Without thinking I didn't take a photo and returned the book. As her birthday drew near, I became fixated on her having a similar cake (not tiered) for her birthday. I requested the book again from the library but was working at a distant campus that week; Luke, at my request, picked up the book from the library and took it to the bakery to order the cake. (He's the greatest).

Once again, C was enraged with Josie's birthday attention: first the presents (she received one also but deemed it inferior instantly) and during Happy Birthday crouched by the newly-gifted dollhouse, sticking her tongue out. I felt terrible that I had not prepared her better for the day and angry/dismayed that her negativity was draining the fun from the activities ... then my mom took the girls to her house for the night and all was well. #byefelicia

On to Jenny's parents' house for their annual Fourth of July party where we saw Melissa and her crew again -

Ladyfriends - 

Meanwhile, at Grandma's house/city park:

That night we went to the Duck Room to see a band. A very full day! The next morning I went to my parents' house for a baby shower for my sister (all pics on real camera... still at mom's house) and brought the girls home.

Both girls like the new dollhouse which I thought included a family - wrong. While waiting for a doll family and doll pets they made do with only "animate" object in the house, the rubber duck that goes in the bathtub. Here Josie has put the duck to sleep on a blanket and pillow:

Monday was a work day and then a Fourth of July potluck that evening at Melissa's:

Gracie, Most Gravid.

The actual Fourth was a much-needed slow day around the house. Whew.