Birthday fun

Emily is 3!

The birthday was very, very fun.  Saturday, we met my sister's family and my parents and my grandparents and Travis's parents in Boone to take a ride on the scenic railway - Emily's first train ride.  She had a fantastic time, although I think most of it was that she had all her grandparents and cousins to be with, and the train ride was a secondary thrill.  We ate dinner in Boone that night, and drove our two sleeping girls back home, listening to the Cyclones LOSE miserably over the radio.  It's sure easier not caring about college football.  You might call me a fairweather fan, except I don't care that much when they win, either.  I was more concerned at the time about how to construct a butterfly birthday cake, which turned out pretty well.  I don't have a picture of it because of course the camera battery needed recharging right in the middle of things, but there were 3 other very active picture-takers that day so I'm sure I didn't miss much.

Sunday, the real party started, when the whole crew from the day before came to our house to celebrate Emily's birthday.  Emily had a bath in the morning, and then picked out a brand new dress to wear.  Travis caught a video of her singing happy birthday to herself, shortly before everybody arrived.  Then once people got here, she was a little bit overwhelmed by all the people and the tremendous task of opening all her presents, but she made it through.  She was frustrated for a few minutes, though, even shouting, "I don't WANT to open presents!!"  But I guess that means she was really liking the ones she had gotten so far.   She received such great presents, really.  She got a beautiful doll from Grandma S., complete with home-sewn outfits and diapers; from her cousins, she got a camping chair that looks like a hippo on the back; she got a teaset from uncle mark, and a car magna-doodle from mommo and poppo.  There were books, games, a shirt that changes color in the sunlight, and even a toy trumpet.  It's only been 24 hours and I think she's played with nearly everything (except the games, I think, which she'll grow in to in no time, I'm sure.)  What a lucky girl.

And what a beautiful day it was!  We got some gorgeous pictures of the girls out in the yard in their matching butterfly dresses - so pretty.  One of my favorite memories of the day was seeing Emily sitting in her new chair, rocking her new baby, singing the prettiest songs to her, while Mommo and Poppo sat just behind her, listening and smiling.  I don't know when my girls will realize it, but their entire extended family is so awesome.  We are so lucky!!

In other news, we are starting a new daycare two weeks from now.  I'm tired of Audrey smelling like cat and being attacked by the other girls there, and by Emily watching so much TV that she sings the Barney song all the time, and now knows who all kinds of kids' characters are. (Going through the toy section in Target was interesting, seeing who all she recognizes from TV).  There's nothing wrong with recognizing them, except that it means she's been watching too much TV, in my opinion.  So, we're going to a center that has a preschool program for Emily (she'll be in with the 3-year-olds, *phew!*), and Audrey will be in the 1-year-old room starting in January, which I am less certain about but will probably be better than what we've got now.  I can't believe I put this change on myself with everything else going on in October, but it'll be better for us in the long run, I'm sure.

So, next weekend is my first night away from my girls!  I'm sure it'll go fine, but I'm still a little nervous.  I haven't had my brain all to myself in so long, I'm sure I'll do/say stupid things until I get used to it.