Party Party Party!

We had quite the celebration this year for Madeleine's birthday! This was the first year that she really knew what she wanted to do, so that made such fun -- watching her anticipation build.

We started the morning with a birthday favorite -- cinnamon rolls. Of course we had to put a candle in to start the day off right! And since it was her birthday, she got to just lick the icing off of them -- 3 of them to be exact. :)

We also let her open one present early in the day just to hold her over until that evening.

She was sooooo excited to get a Barbie teacher set! She's just getting into Barbie and she doesn't have a lot yet, so this was BIG for her. I love the expression on her face in this photo.

She immediately got it all set up -- only to be destroyed moments later by little bother, I mean brother.

That afternoon Mimi and Grandad sent her a bouquet of balloons. She was thrilled to open the door and find the delivery was for her. :)

Madeleine's choice for dinner was Chinese. I really tried to talk her into somewhere "fun" like Red Robin, but she was insistant that Chinese food was what she wanted. So, Chinese it was!

While Madeleine feasted on her favorite woton soup, chicken with broccoli, chinese noodles and egg rolls, Harrison enjoyed a dinner of peaches and fried noodles. Healthy, huh??

We had such a nice waiter that rigged up chopstix for the kids that were super easy to eat with. Madeleine had such fun getting to eat with her chopstix and she did a great job too!!

After dinner we headed out to play some putt-putt golf. It was the kids first time to play. We had to hike to the top of a big big hill to start and by the time we got there Harrison was DONE. He putted one hole. Madeleine played the entire 18 and even hit a hole in one all by herself!!!

The cave was definitely her favorite hole. She kept saying she couldn't believe that she was golfing in a cave. :)

Matt and I took turns playing. While one played a hole, the other one did this:

By the time we left we were all hot, but we'd had a great time.....especially Madeleine!

Then it was home for presents and some of these yummies that I made for her....

She was quite expressive about each gift and flew through opening them! I think she was done in under 5 minutes!! Here she is hugging her beads that will eventually become a necklace (when I get the nerve to get them out!).

Two more of our favorite books...

Holding up her new nightgown...

So excited about princess walkie talkies which she and Harrison use to play super spy....

Yum Yum Yum.

Modeling her new leotard and slippers....

Checking out her new digital camera. This was quite a hit!! She took almost 100 pictures that evening alone and has played with it every day. :)

Harrison checking it out too.

On Saturday Mimi and Grandad came up to celebrate some more with us! We opened MORE gifts, at Madeleine's requested dinner (hamburgers and fruit...plus mom added some stuff!) and enjoyed her tinkerbelle cake.

Harrison had to have some candles on his cake as well!!

I also have to add that Harrison now tells people that he's five too! Hahaha! I still can't believe that my baby girl is five. We went today for her checkup and kindergarden physical and it's hard to believe how much she's grown! She's in the 75% for both height and weight, so I'm a little less worried about her being picked on at school now. :)

I think she had a great time with all her birthday festivities! We were thankful that my mom got to stay over for the weekend and spend some time with us. It was so nice to have her here. The kids were spoiled and I got some much needed rest!