Happy Birthday Sophie

Our first born is now 3 years old!

A midweek birthday in November isn't easy to pull off, but I think even if she weren't so young and just doing whatever we told her that she would still have thought it was a great birthday.

It started with the Sunday before when we went to our usual marionette theater in Los Angeles with family to celebrate, this time with the added fun of having a birthday shoutout arranged for Sophie... and she hated it. Every time I've gone there's always been a few kids with the shoutout and of course this time Sophie was the only one, which wasn't great for her as a very introverted kid who takes awhile to warm up. She clung to me throughout the happy birthday song, wouldn't wear her golden crown, and I had to accept her gift from the marionette puppy on her behalf. Oh well!

She got so many great gifts from Auntie Sasha, Auntie KitKat and Gangy that day - Gabby's Dollhouse galore! I'm partly to blame, I love Gabby's Dollhouse so I'm happy to have those toys around and encouraged it.

Can you tell it was an ode to
Young Frankenstein?

MerCat!

Her gift from the marionette theater

Sophie went crazy with the googly eyes

And a bathtime MerCat!

Tuesday was Grandma Debbie's birthday, and Wednesday was Sophie's real birthday! I stayed up late decorating the house, changing out our letterboard and tabletop paper, etc etc. The night before, AJ had taken Sophie to the store to buy something for grandma Debbie's birthday gift, and apparently found a DJ Catnip that she loved (see: Gabby's Dollhouse) and AJ bought it for her but told her that she couldn't have it until her birthday. So we were woken up on Wednesday by Sophie running into our room saying "Daddy it's my birthday! I can have DJ Catnip now!" and that's how the day started.

We did her yearly photo with her llama, and it was the last milestone card of the set that Kayla sent me from the UK, and I'm never sure if these ones are meant for Sophie or for me...

Me on my 3rd birthday for comparison

She was in a great mood and I did drop off, which I don't normally do since I have Summer duty, but needed the big car to transport everything to daycare for her birthday party there that day - gift bags, cake and the balloons. She had such a great day at daycare - both reported by them and seen from the photos she sent me. 

They started outside but it was a pretty windy day
so they ended up moving it all inside

The struggle is real

Originally we weren't really planning to do anything in the evening other than have cake at home and open presents, but in the end my sisters and nephews ended up coming over, we ordered pizza and it was such a great time! I'm really glad we did it because Sophie had a blast running around with them and playing and to this day still says "I miss my cousins" from all the fun they had that night.

This girl also CLEANED UP. Heather brought a gift since they weren't there on Sunday (more Gabby's Dollhouse! I love it!) Auntie Ana had left a gift from the last time she was here, Auntie Iris dropped by a gift, Ms Ellie sent home a gift, grandma Debbie had gifts - Gabby's Dollhouse and playdough sets and a Minnie phone and a ukelele! Mama and dada had one (that I completely forgot about until AJ reminded me LOL) - Sophie's first bike! (Assuming balance bikes don't count, which I'm unsure of).

It was such a great birthday in the end, especially for one that happened on a Wednesday, and Sophie is still loving all her new gifts. Can't believe Christmas is just around the corner now - oof.