celebrating three.

A year ago, the week of Carly's second birthday, I was puking 5 times a day, couldn't get off the couch the rest of the time, was waiting for Zofran to work its magic instead of making me feel like I was riding on a propeller, and leaving Carly to largely fend for herself. We sent Carly to her grandparents for a week while we found a medicine that actually helped, and I spent the anniversary of her birth away from her. Remember? She didn't know. She doesn't remember. But it hurt my heart whenever I though about it. It hurt me that I couldn't be there for her.

Flash forward a year and, wow, things have changed. She has darling twin siblings who adore her and whom she adores, and a mom who is mostly coherent, and a daddy who managed to skip out early from work to come home and celebrate her big day. 

What a difference a year makes.

A week before her birthday, I gave Carly a few options of what we could do, and she picked the zoo. For a week she talked about going to the zoo, and as her birthday approached, I couldn't help but notice it was supposed to be a very rainy few days. And it was. It poured the night before the big day, and didn't let up that morning. I tried to really talk up an indoor children's museum in town, but she was stuck on the zoo. I explained that it was raining, and she said "Its ok to get a little wet. We can wear our rainboots and rain coats!" Chris came home and sided with her, and after thinking about it, I thought the children's museum would be packed on a rainy day, so I was won over. We headed off to the zoo in the rain.

[the birthday clown in the hizz-ouse!]

It actually ended up being the most perfect day. The rain let up, it was nearly deserted, and it was cool enough to wear jackets, making me very excited for impending Fall.

Carly had a great time.

She got to splash through puddles and see lots of animals.

And the lions got to stare at my babies like they were perfectly grilled steaks.

That night we asked Carly, if she could go anywhere for dinner, where would she go? 

Her answer: Sams Club.

She goes there on dates with her daddy and loves getting hot dogs, a pretzel, and water.

So, Sams Club it was.

We came home for cake and presents. I lit the candles and carried her piece of cake over to her. Her eyes grew big and she whispered, "Wow." Her awe was the sweetest.

She was nice and spoiled by her grandparents, but mom and dad only got her one thing:

a pink bike.

She had only been talking frequently about a pink bike for who knows how long, and really increased her interest after Chris got his bike.

The bike went straight outside, and Carly hopped right on.

Pedaling is a whole different story, but it will come, right?

The day after her birthday, we hosted a little party. We kept it small, inviting a few friends with kids Carly plays with, having lunch, playing, and hanging out. I pitched a different "theme" idea to Chris every other week for a few months, seeing so many cute ones on Pinterest. But in the end I thought of one all by myself (what?!) and loved it: Carly's Favorite Things. We had her favorite lunch foods, dinner food, and snacks. We decorated with her favorite colors and plates from her favorite tv show (Dora), and gave party favor buckets full of some of her favorite things. It wasn't Pinterest-perfect, but Carly was excited. Really really excited. She was particularly fond of her pink and purple cupcakes. Before the party, she kept asking to eat one, and I kept saying no. She came out in the living room a little later with bright purple lips. "Did you eat a cupcake?" I asked her. She looked shocked at my knowledge and replied, "Just a little bit." And so it begins.

The game we played was a Pinterest find, however. I filled balloons with little candies and prizes, and the kids were supposed to pop them to get what was inside. Well, it was all fun and games until Carly's little friend K became totally traumatized by all the popping. She was screaming and shaking and wouldn't get close to the balloons. We'll probably save that game for an older crowd.

It was a good weekend.

We had lots of fun celebrating our girl.