May 4

Happy 4th birthday, Daisy!

We may have celebrated with the family on Friday, but Daisy got to celebrate all over again today. A girl only turns four once, after all! Also, I am a sucker for some of the silly traditions we have come up with over the years, and I couldn't pass them up just because we had a party on Friday.

I gave Daisy one gift last night: a new nightgown. When she woke up this morning, she looked absolutely lovely!

Do you notice that it is still dark out? That's when Daisy wakes up. 

That also explains why this is a cell phone photo, instead of a real camera photo. There's no way I would ever get up that early, so I relied on Chris to capture Daisy waking up to a door filled with balloons.

We celebrated by going out to breakfast as a family, and dropped Caleb off at school on the way home. Then Chris took Daisy out for a Daddy-Daisy date. 

Daisy was so excited!

(Daisy has just started doing this grimace/smile. I hope it's a short-lived phase.)

Chris wanted to take Daisy ice skating, because she's been talking about that quite a bit lately. 

Daisy had other ideas. In fact, she had a well-thought-out list of several things she wanted to do.

She chose bowling. 

She got one strike, and at one point was beating Chris. He won in the end, though. And yes, they both used bumpers.

After bowling, they walked across the street to see a park with a waterfall. Then, Daisy insisted that Chris take her out for a milk shake.

How could he say no? She is the birthday girl, after all. They tried to tell me it was a healthy meal because they chose a strawberry-banana shake, but I don't believe it. Also, do you see one of Daisy's birthday gifts? A friend from church, Kevin, gave Daisy a pink Hello, Kitty watch yesterday. Daisy is just learning how to tell time, and she was delighted! Chris and I were surprised and pleased that Kevin, an older divorcee with two adult daughters of his own, remembered Daisy's birthday and got her such a sweet gift. He told us that for some reason that he can't even articulate, Daisy is really special to him. I agree.

Another birthday tradition: pictures in front of the chalkboard wall. Daisy was too hopped up on sugar to pose pleasantly, so we got this wild picture instead.

After lunch and a nice long nap, Daisy let me take her birthday pictures.

She told me she was sitting like a princess.

While I took pictures, Eli laid in the grass on one of my wraps. I intended to put him on my back, but he was so happy on the ground that I left him there!

I think this one is my favorite. It makes me think of something that Daisy's preschool teacher wrote in her report card, which I just got today: "Her genuinely sweet and kind nature appeals to all and serves as such a positive role model for her peers." Daisy is often strong-willed and emotional, but she is also sweet, loving, thoughtful, and considerate. I like to think that a little of that shines through in the picture above.

Daisy requested that Eli be in some of her birthday pictures, too. 

She told me at bedtime tonight that the best part of her birthday is having Eli to celebrate with.

I couldn't agree more.

(Seriously. This picture. I'm dying from the cuteness. It may be one of my favorites of him.

After dinner (gluten-free PBJs, at Daisy's request) we had another  birthday cake. This one was a dairy-free chocolate cake made with quinoa and coconut cream ganache. YUM.

Happy birthday, sweet girl!