"Transition" celebration

This weekend pretty much qualified as one long, extended, birthday celebration. We started with Camryn's tea party on Saturday, then both girls shared a "transition" day where we celebrated both of them with family, and enjoyed lunch, gifts, and treats on Sunday, and of course Aubrey's actual birthday was Monday (also President's Day and a day off from school.)

With the girls' birth dates so close together, and just after Valentine's day too, it really does feel like one big treat-fest, complete with gift and sugar overload. Every year, I try to stave it off a bit, but to no avail. This weekend was no different.

The girls insisted on hosting their family get-together at Red Robin. This has become a tradition of their very own making, and they have no intention of ending it now. So off to the land of burgers and balloons we went! Afterward, we came back to our house to host cake and gifts. Turns out though, that we had so many sweets left over from the tea party, that I was spared baking another cake, and we enjoyed a second tower-of-treats, which the girls were thrilled with!

Diva or insect?

Camryn was able to read her own cards this year!

Just gimme the gift, lady!

She looks like a giant, frosted cupcake!

Donning new clothes gifted to them, and posing with their tower of treats. 3 and 6 candles on top, respectively.

Blow!

Heaven...

Gotta give that dress another twirl...

Yep, it's still good!

Happy 3rd birthday, Baby Girl!

Dear Aubrey,
The incredible has happened. You are now the exact age that your sister was when you were born. This truly, absolutely, blows my mind. How can it be? Wasn't that just the other day? Weren't you just a little bit of a thing, wrapped in pink, held by your "big girl" sister?

Whether I like it or not, now you ARE the big girl. You have likes, dislikes, and opinions of your own. And you remind us of them every day. :)

Like your sister, you have learned so much this past year. You've abandoned many "baby things" (your binky, your crib, your sippy cups), and you have adapted to life as a preschooler by learning to use the potty, sleep in a big girl bed, and identify your letters. You have even begun to point out every capital "A" you come across and say, "Dat's my name!"

For being so slight of frame, and such a minimalist eater, you are adventurous in your food pursuits. You aren't afraid to try new things, and often your "likes" surprise us. For example, you devour baby red, orange, and yellow peppers, and you enjoy raw onion, salsa, pepper, and other spicy things as well. Once you determine a "dislike" though, there is really no changing your mind.

Growing up with a big sister, you have had to learn to stand up for yourself, and boy have you done a good job of that lately! You do not hesitate to lash out with your words, stick out your tongue, or tell her, "You are not da boss!" You can also be quite sneaky, accomplishing all of these things without arousing the attention of your father or I, so we have to keep a close eye on you!

Being the little sister has also afforded you the opportunity to build your confidence however, in relative safety, as you emulate all that your big sister does. For example, you have already had your first sleep over with friends, something Camryn didn't do until she was already five! You didn't hesitate in the least however, because your big sister was there with you. She has blazed the trail, and you are enjoying the view as you travel her road.

It is fun to see the two of you grow up together, and enjoy the same things, but we are trying to encourage you to explore your own interests and talents as well. You are the perfect mix of sweet and spicy: a beautiful, unique blend all your own, and we wouldn't have you any other way!

So happy 3rd birthday, Baby Girl. Because even though you're not a baby anymore, you'll always be my baby, and I just can't fathom letting that nickname go just yet.

We love you, Bean.
Love,
Mommy & Daddy

Camryn's birthday tea party

For months now, Camryn has been requesting a "tea party" birthday. Having never been to an official tea party myself, I had to do a little digging to figure out just what you do at one, besides drink tea. It turns out there is a whole sub-culture on this topic, one that relies heavily on proper etiquette, eating certain things in a certain order, and wearing giant, floppy hats.

I figured the girls wouldn't care too much about any of those things, so I went ahead and improvised. First, the girls colored and decorated their own fans (every proper lady must have a fan, right?)


After that, we took the girls and their dolls through a pretend tea party, making sure that all involved used their best manners, and said "please" and "thank you." The girls got a big kick out of this... We then realized that though we were all dressed up, we needed a few more accessories to complete our fancy look, so we added white tea gloves, and feather boas.




After our etiquette lesson, we were ready to eat! The girls sat at a pink, frilly table, and enjoyed their (caffeine free) mint tea and pink lemonade in my best tea cups. I tried to offer them some traditional (cucumber), and not-so-traditional (strawberry cream cheese, and good 'ol pbj) tea sandwiches, but none of them were too impressed. They had already seen the tower of sweets that was coming up next, and politely refused the sandwiches while eying the treats.

And so they enjoyed selecting and tasting lots of little items: mini cupcakes, strawberries, cream puffs, min-eclairs, and tiny scones. A sweet-tooth's delight!












The girls finished the afternoon with lots of lively play upstairs, and the tradition of "hiding" whenever parents decided it was time to depart. Thank you friends, for sharing Camryn's special tea party day!

Birthday girls "photo shoot"

While shopping with Aubrey one day, a fluffy pink dress caught her eye, and for the first time ever, she insisted on owning something from a clothing rack. There was just no way we were leaving that store without that dress! She absolutely fell in love with the bright pink, layered tulle, and when I checked the price tag, she had really done pretty well! ($8 a piece? I'll take two!) So we chose one for Camryn as well, and since then, they have been dying to wear their "party dresses" for a special occasion.

So before Camryn's tea party began, I had to get some pics of the girls in their perfectly pink, perfectly priced, party dresses. And you know what? They were simply adorable, and as a bonus, they were the best "twirling dresses" that the girls have ever owned as well. Maybe I should take Aubrey shopping with me more often...

Camryn's birthday

For the first time ever, Camryn had "official" school on her birthday! She was so excited to hear her name read over the announcements as the ONLY student at Deer Creek to have a birthday that day. She proudly wore her "Birthday Girl" shirt all day, and received lots of congratulations and well wishes as she walked the halls. Another birthday "first" for Camryn was snow outside! The weather was quite strange that day, with everything from rain to clear blue skies, to giant, sloppy, wet snowflakes.

That evening, we enjoyed chocolate chip-oatmeal cookies and ice cream (her request), and let her open her gifts. What does the girl who has everything wish for on her birthday, you wonder? A desk. Yes, a desk! She loves to draw, read, write, and do her homework, and was having a hard time doing any of them comfortably in her room, so a desk actually suits her perfectly. Of course, she had to have a little desk lamp to go with it, and a pink chair for her pink room, and she was all set. Happy Birthday, Camryn!

Happy 6th Birthday, Camryn!

Dear Camryn,

It's happened again. Another year has somehow slipped past me, and you are now a whopping SIX years old. How can this be possible? Six is big. Six is old. Six is the very end of any semblance of babyhood you once had.

In this past year, you have become a very independent person. You now ride the bus to and from kindergarten each day, make your own choices, take responsibility for your learning, and make friends on your own. You are well-known and well-liked by the staff and students at Deer Creek, and you revel in your daily adventures and new friendships.

You have simply learned so much this past year. You love to write, and you read independently, often for an hour at a time, while lounging on your bed. You recently blew your oral reading test out of the water, surprising both your teacher and us with your astronomical scores. We are so proud of your academics. You have taken to school so naturally. Your teacher-parents couldn't be more proud. :)

This year, you have also mastered riding your scooter and your two wheeler bicycle (no training wheels!) for hours on end. You and your buddy Colin are inseparable on sunny days, riding and scootering up and down our street, over and over again. And always with a tremendous grin on your face. In him, you have truly made a good friend.

Your other new adventure? Tooth loss. (But only in the best way possible.) For two months, you nurtured your wiggly front baby tooth, and a few weeks ago, finally got up the nerve to pull it. You were brave, and didn't cry, but it still blows my mind that you are old enough have permanent teeth in the first place!

For as much as you've grown, some things have not changed. You still love your weekly ballet class, and have added tap to your repertoire as well. You are still under the spell of the one Miss Taylor Swift, and have now memorized each and every one of the songs from her newest CD. And you still love to teach, lead, play and giggle with your little sister. The two of you entertain each other every day with art projects, dance parties, elaborate Barbie and baby doll scenarios, and never-ending games of Hide-and-Seek.

I can't even imagine what you will come up with next, but I can't wait to see what it will be. Happy Birthday, my sweet, independent big girl. You make us so proud.

Hugs and kisses. We love you.
Mommy & Daddy

Happy Valentine's Day!