Happy Birthday Anna!

It is 11:45 pm. I just finished staring at my homework for two hours, accomplishing nothing. But I won't go into that now. Since it was about this time 4 years ago that my water broke while I was sleeping I thought it would be a perfect time to do a birthday post! Granted, little princess wouldn't actually be born for another 17 1/2 hours, but that too, is for another day!

We had Anna's party on Saturday. It was a blast because she actually has little friends now. She wanted Strawberry Shortcake for her theme this year which I was glad for. I am sick of princesses!

Matt and I came up with an elaborate plan to get Anna out of the house Friday night so we could run to the store and get her swing set. Note to all women...do not ask husband to set up swing set if 1) he has not eaten dinner, 2) he is tired, and 3) said swingset is from Wal-Mart. We worked on the first one for about two hours. None of the holes were lining up, all of the screws were too short...I have not seen Matt that frustrated in a long time! So he quit...and at 6:00 the next morning took it apart, packed it back up, drove to Wal-Mart and exchanged it,sped home to where I was trying to get myself awake with a large cup of coffee, and we then proceeded to assemble yet another one! Anna poked her head out an hour later and yelled, "Hey mommy, what are you building?" Well, it was all worth it. She LOVES it! She kept saying, "Now I don't have to go to the park, I can just play here!"

After swing set excitement wore off I set to work on the party. People were coming at 2:00 so Anna and I ran to the store for last minute food while Matt cleaned the house. I then came home and started on...the cake. Just so we are clear I am adamantly against store bought cakes. The icing is gross and there is just no love there. Just an opinion...don't hate me. But I think it is because I grew up with a mom who, every year when we were young, made special cakes. I remember Barbie cakes, train cakes, Cabbage Patch Doll cakes, water-skiing cakes. All sorts of fun surprises and I think that it has just passed on to me. So, how does one make a Strawberry Shortcake cake? Well, thanks to Google I found one and attempted it. Yes, I think I shall become a cake decorator now...maybe Charm City Cakes is hiring...
Can you guess?


It is her hat!





Isn't it cute?! And I had so much fun doing it!

So people came and we ate, and played, and held our crying children as they fell off the see-saw, and had cake, and of course opened presents. There was a great assortment of gifts and Anna was thrilled with all of them. I enjoy the fact that any gift has her jumping up and down because I know that soon there will be attitude..."Mom, I didn't want that, it is ugly, etc..."


She got a Dora Slip-n-Slide which I am sooo excited to play with!


Blowing out her candles!


Playing with Barbie Mariposa...I can't believe she is old enough for toys like this!



And now that I have put these pictures on I realize that there is not one picture of her friends. Stupid! I will have to take one at small group and stick it in for posterity's sake.

So all rambling aside today (Monday) is her actual birthday. She is a kid now. She starts preschool in the fall. Where did the time go?
Just a few days old...

First Birthday...

Almost 2!

3 Years old...

Lookin' all cute as the b-day girl!
A 4 year old...



Happy Birthday love!