Happy Birthday Cecilia! I can't believe you're three . . . again?

Wednesday night we decided that we would make a cake on Thursday. Somehow, the cake plan evolved into a birthday cake plan and that evolved into a birthday party for Cecilia. Francesca was awake after Cecilia fell asleep and schemed to wrap a bunch of presents (toys wrapped in fabric and silk scarves.)

When Cecilia awoke, she sauntered out of her bedroom, turned around and went back in, re-emerging moments later donning her heart bracelet and necklace exclaiming, "Say good morning to the Birthday Girl!" We spent the morning walking to the grocery store for last minute ingredients, telling Cecilia how glad she was born and Happy Birthday! We ran into Layne Brown getting a haircut at Gordy's Barber Shoppe on the way to the store and invited him and Marion over anytime that day for cake. We called our neighbors Grace, Avery and Jessica to come over for a 'Pretend Birthday Party,' called Auntie Patty and cousins Jodi, Brevon and Ava, too. Grace, Francesca and Cecilia iced the cake themselves and we sang Cecilia Happy Birthday on the patio and ate cake. About the time Grace, Avery and Jessica went home, Patty, Jodi, Brevon and Ava came over. It was a fun-filled day. After nap time, Cecilia wanted to go to Dos Hombres for crunchy tacos for her birthday dinner, but we convinced her to go to Granny's instead, we ran into Layne and Marion on our way up and the girls reminded them to come over for cake. As we began to pull away, Francesca yelled out, "And bring presents!" Turns out, Layne and Marion happened to have "Mr. Rude," ready to go (a stuffed toy that says stuff like, "Toooooooooooot, Excuse You!" in a french accent. Greeeaat!

Who doesn't love a birthday?! Cecilia felt so special and Francesca loved it too. Julian just smiles at everything, even when

I eat too

much cake. Celebrations are what make the ordinary into the extraordinary, right? I have a feeling there will be many, many birthdays for Cecilia in the coming years . . . what better way to celebrate my little middle child.