Pink and Purple Picnic Party

V turned four this week. I enjoy the fourth year so much more than the second and the third! Here's to hoping it's a great year!

V wanted a pink and purple picnic party, so we invited several little girls over to make it happen :)

We got everything we needed at the dollar store and Walmart!

*Four pieces of fabric, which I hemmed, for the picnic cloths (what are they called?)

*A little heart-shaped basket for each gal, with a heart-shaped PB&J sandwich, cheesestring, dried fruit, and a disposable straw/sippy cup with pink lemonade (of course!)

*Craft: purple and pink chenille stems (aka pipe cleaners), tiny flowers, and ribbon = flower "garland"...the girls loved them!

*My mom is in town and made beautiful roses on the chocolate cupcakes. (V wanted "brown" cupcakes for her cake!)

As you can see, there was concern that H might blow out the birthday girl's candles before the song was done...

All in all, a great pink and purple picnic party :)

Makes sense...

Crazy three-year-old!

This afternoon we went outside to play for a bit. For J, playing means running around in circles in our front yard. The girls chose to push their "babies" in their strollers. At one point V went inside to get something to put in her hoodie pockets. Apparently, her pockets needed filling !?!

She came out with pockets bulging. In one was the play thermometer. I could see why she would want to bring that outside, since her baby was scantily clad and could get cold. Or get a fever. Maybe?

In her other pocket, she had the toilet from her doll house. When I said, "The toilet?" she said, "It fits."

Oh.

Okay.

Yeah. That makes sense.

Sort of.

:)

V's 3yr Doctor Visit

All five of us went to the new pediatrician's office yesterday for V's 3yr well-child check-up. Our appt was for 10:15am; we left the office around noon. but long wait aside, it was a great visit!

For J, there was this huge fish tank filled with pink fish that kissed each other and striped fish that dug holes.

For H, there were people to see, corridors to explore (and to be extracted from) and a video to watch.

For V, there was the anticipation of seeing the doctor!!!

She was really excited about going to the doctor's, probably because we borrowed The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor's from the library. She was a little nervous about getting a "shock", but I wasn't even sure she needed one. Indeed, she did - her Hep A booster. But she took it like a champ and got a princess sticker out of the deal!

V is in the 10th percentile for weight and height, which, as the doctor said, is not a big deal because "someone has to be there" and it's not like V has "giants for parents".

:)

I watched her sit trustingly and contentedly on the examining table, swinging her baby legs to a tune in her head and allowing the aide and doctor do whatever they needed to do. My pre-school-aged daughter didn't need Mommy right there, holding her hand, even if she did need me "close by". It felt like she took a miniscule step toward independence - a healthy, necessary part of growing up. It was a bittersweet moment.

V is Three

This was the first kid birthday we didn't celebrate with a huge party with five thousand of our best friends. I had a baby shower to help coordinate and attend 4 days after getting back from NY. V's birthday was 2 days later. So, no party. But it was a precious family time, for sure.

V was tickled pink by her birthday cupcakes with sprinkles!!! She also enjoyed the strawberries we bought at the commissary earlier that evening.

The whole evening was relaxed and fun. Is there any kind of evening that can't be bettered by family, chocolate cupcakes, and a video camera?

V received a Peter Rabbit book, which I got on clearance; a Disney princess camera that had those little movie still frames (or whatever you call them) when you looked in it, which I got for free from a friend having a yard sale; and an aquarium purse, with wee sea creatures inside, which we bought at the aquarium in South Carolina.

She was pleased as punch with her three little gifts and carried them everywhere for the next week. It's amazing how happy children are, even (especially?) in the absence of excess.

V, my firstborn girl, my drama queen...articulate, surprisingly gentle and kind (at unexpected times), a beautiful little girl.

I'm so thankful for her!