Ellie turns 3!

Ellie turned 3 on June 23rd, and we celebrated all weekend.

The morning of her birthday, we practiced holding up 3 fingers. Which is actually fairly difficult. {Not nearly as difficult as remembering to be ladylike, though.}

Her special day called for a manicure and pedicure, courtesy of Mommy. 

"Smile Elle!"... pained look.

We met Mima, Papa, Aunt Kels and Auntie Cheryl at Egglectic for a birthday brunch and feasted on french toast, eggs benedict, and chicken sausage among other delicious things. Mima brought balloons, and we had a great time.

Happy to finally be starting the weekend of celebrating her birthday! She's been asking when it would be her birthday ever since Robbie and Maddie's party.

We enjoyed a quiet Saturday afternoon as a family, and let her open gifts from her New Jersey relatives that evening. 

Then the kids were ushered to bed so that Mommy could finish getting ready for the birthday BBQ we would be having the next day with a few family friends. (Which incidentally was not a BBQ after all, but we did enjoy pulled pork sandwiches?!)

The only things Ellie requested (over and over) for her party were cake with strawberries, a Tinkerbell theme, and a pinata. I met all the requirements with pleasure, thanks to the fact that there is a new Tinkerbell movie out, which means Party City had all things Tink in stock!

Friends came over for a casual dinner late Sunday afternoon, and we had a great time. Ellie, I'm sorry that these pictures of your party aren't great... I was too busy enjoying the company of our friends, soaking in your joy and trying to savor the moment. I hope you are able to remember it all later on, too! 

Tink, mommy, maddie and robbie

Tink and her mommy

Savvy and Maddie

Hannah

Favor bags

The {messy} kitchen!

We tied sparkly stars from everything in sight, including the chandelier.

Suzi, Eli and Robbie cooling off - it was a hot day!

Post-consumption. 

Mima and Papa's gift to you - legs that elevate the low kids' table up into an activity table, and 6 adorable chairs for you, your siblings and friends to enjoy.

Tink's version of pin the tail on the donkey - my back up plan for entertainment since there was a very good chance of rain that day!

Thankfully it didn't rain at all - and we were able to enjoy the bounce house we rented all day! 

The pinata you picked out, after we had a ball watching you kids swat at it. Has a pinata ever been cracked open by that stick, because each time we get one it always ends the same way: Daddy rips it open after the kids tire of hitting it, and shakes the candy all over the yard. {Still fun!}

We created a 'magic forest' in the backyard with stars. 

After everyone left, we got the kids in their pj's, Maddie went to bed, and we pretended to give cleaning up a decent effort. Then we decided to enjoy the bounce house a little more before the company came to pick it back up.

Rob and I crawled in with the kids. I might have tried a few front flips and somersaults and gave my stomach butterflies { <--- getting old}. That hour or so is a memory for the books.

And that is how we celebrated sweet Elle belle's 3rd birthday! 

We love you Elizabeth Suzanne. :)