Our Girl's Third Birthday

Today was Ivy's third birthday. 

About a week ago, we asked Ivy what she would like to do on her birthday. I told her we could go eat somewhere or go someplace she wanted to go. We thought she would say that she would want to eat at McDonald's or Taco Bell (two of her favorites). But instead, she thought for a little while and then said, "I want to go to Starbucks. With Layla. To get cake pops." I have to say, I was very proud of her for following in her mommy's footsteps and choosing something like Starbucks. :) Aaron wasn't quite so thrilled.

After a little more discussion, Ivy decided that not only did she want Layla to come with us, but she also wanted Halle and Daisy to come with us, too. AND that she didn't really want her brothers to come along. Ha :)

So we asked Nathan and Rachel if they would watch our boys so that we could take the four girls out for Ivy's birthday. They agreed, and it was all set :)

Ivy worked hard making invitations for her cousins.

Then yesterday, Ivy and I made cupcakes for her to take to her class for her birthday. Ivy is becoming very proficient in the kitchen! I love cooking and baking with her. We had fun making her birthday treats. :)

Ivy's birthday morning was finally here (she has literally been talking about it for weeks), and she came downstairs to a birthday package in the mail from Grandpa Jim and Grandma Jan. She carefully tore it open. :)

And she LOVED everything they sent her. It was a perfect birthday-morning surprise for her.

I was scheduled to help in Ivy's preschool class today, so I got to spend the whole morning with Ivy! Here she is with some of her friends in her class. 

She loved handing out her birthday cupcakes that she worked so hard on at home.

And the other kids seemed to enjoy them, too!

Ivy could barely sleep this afternoon for her nap...she was SO excited to go pick up her cousins and go celebrate her birthday. We told Ivy that we could go somewhere to eat supper before going to Starbucks to get cake pops, and she made another decision that made me proud: She chose Panera. She is a girl after my own heart. :)

Here are the four gals at Panera waiting on our food.

They brought some little gifts for Ivy to open at the restaurant.

These four are so much fun together! We got asked two different times from complete strangers if Ivy and Daisy are twins. Both of the people said, "They look so much alike!!" We told them that no, they aren't twins...just cousins. (We didn't mention that they aren't biological cousins, though.) ;)

The girls loved the cake pops.

And the frappuccinos.

I think I might model my next birthday after Ivy's...cupcakes, friends, family, Panera, and Starbucks. It was a good day. :)

Happy birthday, Ivy! We love you and are so proud of the caring, smart, sensitive, creative girl you are becoming.