On their actual birth-days...

On Robbie's actual birthday (March 15th) I wanted to make it a day that would be special for him since his party was later in the month.

We started off with sprinkles on the kids' pancakes.

And then spent a long morning at the bookstore, playing with at the train table and reading books. I'm so glad the kids love this, I much prefer it to those indoor kids playplaces that are always packed and germy and loud! Nothing like a quiet bookstore to ourselves. Plus I can sit next to them and read a book while they play. Love.

She is so proud of herself that she can play with the big kids. It helps that she can cruise along furniture and has great balance now. She even gets a little feisty for trains if someone takes hers out of her hands. Hold your own, Maddie! Thatta girl.

My little bookworm - she will sit and read for long stretches.

Then I let him open a few gifts from family and friends out of town.

After naps, we met Aunt Kels and Daddy (fresh off the train) at 2Toots for a birthday dinner.

Aunt Kels had brought balloons and enormous cupcakes and candles! 2Toots' cupcakes are dinky and hers were so fun and pretty and definitely gourmet. The waiter snuck them into the kitchen and sent them out to the kids on the train that delivers everyone's food.

When we got home, we let Robbie finish opening his birthday cards and gifts from our family in New Jersey.

4 dollars for the big 4 year old!

Then later in the month on the 29th, it was Maddie's turn to have a special day!

We started it off by dressing her in a pretty pink dress and letting her open a gift that had come just that morning from her Uncle Ryan.

My mom came over, and Aunt Sherry and cousins Courtney and Caroline were in town visiting a college and so they spent part of the day with us too. They arrived late morning bearing gifts for all 3 kids - a ball toy (that is hard to explain) for Maddie, and 2 plasma cars for Robbie and Ellie. They rode the cars around the house on the wood floors and had a blast - and then we all took turns trying them out. I told Robbie that later that night after they went to bed, Daddy and I would be having races around the house on their cars. I was only 1/2 kidding.

We all went out for lunch at Egglectic. It was so fun to catch up with everyone, and the girls and Sherry are always so so sweet with my kids. Robbie and Ellie ADORE Courtney and Caroline and just talk and play with them the entire time. Sherry loves holding Maddie and so I typically find my arms empty (and get to eat a meal - hot!).

We had mentioned to our waitress that it was Maddie's first birthday (mainly to explain why we were all dressed normally and Maddie had on such a frilly dress!). So she brought out a little cake and a bunch of the staff sang happy birthday to her. It was adorable! She loved it, and watched them the entire time.

While we were all talking at the end of the meal, Ellie took advantage of our distractedness and was not only eating her little slice of cake but was helping herself to the serving plate as well. I looked over and this is what I saw.

It was a very fun day!