Party

At last, the big day and highly anticipated party arrived!! Although the Girl's actual birthday is not until tomorrow, today is the day that she has been talking about non-stop for the past oh, six weeks now! And over the past couple of weeks I've been busy planning all things ladybug. My Mom baked these cupcakes last night as I was finishing up goodie-bags and I found myself frosting them this morning. This is the

ladybug ice cream bombe (whatever that means!) made with chocolate ice cream, raspberry sorbet and adorned with grasshopper

cookies and black licorice. While I did the initial preparation last night, J was the one who smoothed this little fella out and added the cookies

and licorice. The Girl was tickled red to be celebrating with all of her little friends, including the two Miss A's. Her ladybug dress is from a pattern and fabric that she picked out herself and compliments of Gramma who made it. Baby Sister got a matching one made of yellow ladybug fabric. Thanks Gramma!!

We played a few games, first a ladybug hunt and then pin the spots on the ladybug. Who knew that 3, 4 and 5-year olds aren't

particularly keen on the idea of bing blindfolded?! While the Girl was all for it (probably only because it was her party), she only had one friend who was 'game.' All the others passed at the opportunity so instead we just passed out the dots and the ladybug got decorated as opposed to being a game.

The pinata was greeted with a much better reception and all the kids enthusiastically scrambled out into the frigid (the temperature was only in the low 60's) air and drizzle to have their chance at whacking the ladybug.

This is our sweet neighbor girl and the younger sister of one of the Girl's preschool classmates. She is just six months older than Baby Sister but is extremely tall. She found one of the Girl's princess dresses, put it on and wore it for the entire party. Too cute!!

Finally, impatient as he is, J took the pinata down, put it on the ground and let the kids beat it until it's sweet contents spilled out onto the

ground. Once every last piece of candy had been collected we all returned to the drier climate of the indoors for cheery birthday singing,

cupcakes and ice cream.

But as far as the Girl was concerned, the best was yet to come...the presents!! She graciously allowed all of her little friends to help with the unwrapping which was in stark contrast to last year shen she told them to "get their own birthdays!" Ah, perhaps a year older and a year wiser and kinder...maybe.

And the closest I could get to a group photo at the end of the party, just missing two kiddos.