balloon birthday photo ASSAULT

my birthday girl turned 3 today. what follows is a ridiculous amount of photos from today.

 

violet is so cute, I can't help but include some shots of her 

she was really digging the exciting vibes from today

 

i'm pretty sure Clover was contemplating the implications of another year past in her life, and her goals going forward. 

 

you can really tell that she's excited about her birthday. no really, she WAS. just not in front of the camera, the little poop.

 

ok, now she's getting loosened up

 

we got a dozen balloons from party city. I'd never been there before. Clover pooped while we were there, and a lady near us smelled like pee. the party store probably smelled pretty similar to the pet store next door at that point. come to think of it, maybe the pee lady worked at the pet store...

  

I got her a dozen balloons -  a mixture of pale aqua, rose pink, and pearlized white

 

I haven't been feeding clover gluten or much sugar lately, so I made her a flourless chocolate cake with sucanat, and a light glaze of a chocolate sauce I made with maple syrup from my farmer. It's "iced" with grassfed whipped cream

I made the little balloons to go along with her balloon theme birthday. Origami paper, floral wire, glue. I wrapped the ends with wax paper since I wasn't sure about jamming raw floral wire into our cake. It was the best craft ever. Both kids were in bed and I did it in front of Downton

 

she needed a button down sweater of some kind, and I was planning on making one, but lazed out and got one today at Target. I hyped it up as her special "birthday sweater" and she got jazzed. I somehow ended up with an adorable mustard yellow and cream cardigan in my size as I was checking out. The kids must have put it in the cart....or something. BTW, there were SO many adorable dresses, coats, and things at Target during this trip, for really great prices, that I questioned why I even sew for my child. Of course, I forgot all about that once I left the store.

we kept busy outside until Daddy came home to have a birthday party with us. Clover was dying a slow painful death all day over the anticipation. She had to go shopping with me for cake ingredients, watch me make it, hear all about it being her birthday, and not be able to eat any cake or open any gifts. 

 

I love how Clover is in some pre teen awkward phase. Lol. 

 

BALLOON GLEE!!!!

 

the girls were freaking out in the balloons together, and Clover had some mad static electricity surging through her head

 

the muppet movie soundtrack on vinyl. the girls were both stoked. 

 

this was Violet's shock and awe face when she realized that the Rainbow Connection song was starting up from the record player. her eyes got really wide at first, and then her jaw dropped and she looked at me with this shell shocked face, before saying "Kermit" in the most hilarious voice. LOL. 

 

Clover's gifts came wheeled in on an awesome grocery cart from her grandparents

 

SHE doesn't know that this shirt is from the thrift store

 

Scooter is sitting in the shopping cart in the background. hahaha. 

 

Clover is taking her dolly shopping at Trader Joe's . 

 

"happy birthday to you...."

 

daddy saves us all from a fiery death, with one puff of breath

 

we all had cake and some organic ice cream from a local creamery. the girls are topping off the evening by watching "Up". Tim briefly stuck the balloons on the dollhouse. haha. perfect. 

It was a wonderful, busy day. Clover felt special.