I’m happy to say that I finally have my camera back and I feel like everything is right with the world again.  I really did feel lost without it.  I wanted to be sure and record the rest of Rachel’s birthday activities before she turns four and I’ve completely forgotten.  It is so strange that her birthday was just three weeks ago and yet I feel like we’ve had a three year old for months now.  I love making a big deal out of birthdays and this year did not disappoint. 

After her donut party, we went to lunch with Aunt Ginny, Libby, Levi and Nana.

That night my parents asked R where she wanted to go for dinner and she very excitedly chose Chuck E Cheese.   We had quite an “experience” there with an assistant manger who rudely told us that we could not bring outside food in (for Ethan) and she didn’t really care if he had allergies or not because policy is policy.  I really wish I could have recorded Clay’s reaction to that one – awesome!

Clay and I had decided earlier in the week to get R a real bike for her birthday, and that we should probably take her to pick it out to make sure we got the right size and the right color for Miss Picky.  We started off at Toys-R-Us and didn’t have any luck, made a stop by Target and they didn’t have any small enough, went to the local bike store and decided we’d rather be able to pay our bills that month than get her a set of wheels, so we ended up at Wal-Mart and found the perfect one.  I’m not sure if she’s more excited about the helmet Mimi bought her or the bell on the bike, but she likes riding and that’s all that matters.

Sunday was her real birthday which meant she moved up to the next Bible class.  She was a little diasppointed that Sophia wasn’t there that day and she was the only girl in this class, but said she still enjoyed being in the big kid class.  (Tracy – we were loving Paige’s dress!) 

We always let the kids decide where they want to eat and what they want to do on their real birthday (as if we hadn’t been doing that all weekend but whatever).  She asked to eat at Chuy’s (score on that one!) and then go to Build-a-Bear so we obliged.

That day happened to be Super Bowl Sunday so Rachel got to show off her booty-shaking skills at Joe & Kelly’s house while we all stuffed our faces with a ridiculous amount of food.

And then the birthday festivities came to a close on Monday when we went to visit my Granny & Pa so they could give sister her birthday gifts.

She’s already talking about what she wants to do for her “number 4″ birthday so I probably need to start gearing up for it now!

1. Favorite color – pink & purple & orange & white & brown & black & white
2. Favorite food – oranges, teddy bears & carrots & yogurt & hot dogs
3. Favorite cereal – Lucky Charms & Cimmo Cro Crunch
4. Best friend – Olivia & Tatum & Payton & Lincoln
5. Favorite toy – choo choo
6. Favorite TV show – Mickey Mouse & Little Einsteins
7. Favorite movie – Barbie & My Little Pony
8. Favorite thing to do outside – ride my bike
9. Something you like to do with Ethan – just play the match game and Sequence
10. Favorite Bible story – Delilah
11. Favorite animal – zebra & giraffe
12. If you could go somewhere right now, where would it be – Rainforest Cafe
13. Favorite snack – teddy bears
14. Favorite princess – Barbie and the Three Musketeers
15. Something you like Mommy to do with you – play the match game and play Sequence
16. Something you like Daddy to do with you – play Sequence

In true Rachel form she had a hard time deciding on just one favorite for several of these.  And I’m not sure if I should be worried or not that her favorite Bible story is Delilah.  She didn’t mention anything about Samson or how God helped him…nope, just wicked and deceitful Delilah.  Awesome.  I took her to the doctor on Monday for her well check and she checked out pretty well.  Still has this ear infection that doesn’t seem to ever really go away, but other than that 100% healthy.  I think she came in around 30th% for weight and 40th% for height.  A far cry from the child who was born looking like a 3 month old!

If this doesn’t make you laugh then you need to watch it again!

I waited a week to do Rachel’s birthday post because I’m still trying to come out of my state of denial that my baby is three…three!  That is ridiculous!  When she woke up on her birthday she told me she was very happy to not be a baby anymore because now she was an adult just like mommy.  And that just about sums up Rachel Ryan.  I had a small breakdown after I tucked her in the night before her birthday because once you have a three year old things change and I’m just not sure that I’m ready for that.  But I also love watching her grow into her personality and see what she is drawn to and what she absolutely is not drawn to.  Here are a few things about her that I’d like to remember:

• she likes to pick out her own clothes and does a pretty good job of matching everything
• she can dress herself and use the bathroom by herself
• she has abandoned her bed and sleeps on Ethan’s bottom bunk every night
• she takes a nap a couple of days a week
• she goes to bed between 7 and 7:30 most nights
• she loves going to school and Bible class
• she talks all.day.long – seriously, she can’t stop talking (My dad and I were in the car with her the other day and after about 48 minutes of constant talking, my Dad said, “Rachel, can you go just one minute without talking?”  She replied in her best robot voice, “I am a robot.  I cannot stop talking.”  That’s perfectly Rachel.)
• she wears 2T pants and 3T tops and wears a size 7 shoe
• she prefers to have her hair in pigtails or a ponytail, but most days the curls win and she just wears her hair down with a bow
• she prefers oatmeal for breakfast
• she likes grilled cheese sandwiches with Ranch (or “white sauce” as she calls it)
• when she’s not talking she’s singing
• she bites her tongue at least 247 times a day
• she falls down and hurts herself at least 247 times a day
• she loves riding her big girl bike and is getting pretty good
• she still doesn’t like going upstairs by herself
• she eats all.day.long
• her favorite drink is chocolate milk
• she loves doing crafts and painting – and she’s done after about 3 minutes

We had her birthday party last Friday morning here at home and had a pajama/donut party and it was great!  I would highly recommend it to anyone.  My parents asked her to choose where she wanted to go for dinner that night and she chose Chuck E Cheese so we did that.  We also took her to Toys R Us to spend her birthday money from Meme and she FINALLY chose a coloring book and some new crayons.  Then on Sunday – her real birthday – she chose to eat at Chuy’s for lunch.  It was a weekend full of focusing on Rachel and little miss center of attention loved every minute of it.  Here a few pictures from the weekend.  Unfortunately I left the camera at my grandparents house when we went last week for Rachel’s birthday lunch, and I have more pictures on there.  Hopefully I’ll be getting it back soon because I really feel lost without it! 

Eating her pre-party breakfast…and obviously before I had tamed that crazy hair

Playing with Mimi before the party

Blowing out the candles in her birthday donut

The spread

Part of the craziness

Making a cereal necklace

Opening gifts

Party people

Rachel – I love you with all of my heart and I am so proud to be your mom.  Happy birthday sweetheart.

…when everyone is dressed and ready to go for church and there’s still enough time for one story.  I’ll admit this doesn’t happen very often (Ethan has been known to say, “Mom – why do we always have to go so fast on Sundays?”), but it sure is nice when it does happen. 

And I just want to brag on my mom for a minute.  A couple of weeks ago we went over to her house and she pulled this little number out for Rachel that she had just whipped up the day before:

I know with 100% certainty that I didn’t appreciate the clothes she made for me when I was growing up, but I really do appreciate the ones she makes for Rachel.  Thanks, Mom – you’re the best.

On Tuesday the kids got their book order at school (does any other mom order those books because it’s like getting a present when they come in?!?) and Rachel got Princess Pigtoria and the Pea.  It’s really cute and just the swine version of the princess and the pea story.  We read it when we got home from school Tuesday afternoon and she was moderately interested.  Wednesday morning we were getting in the car to run errands and she said, “Mommy – why did that prince pee in that pig’s pillow?” 

“So, is my birthday party no boys allowed?”

This is how I found my children while they were eating a snack a couple of days ago -

As the kids and I were doing a little Christmas shopping this morning:

Me:  I think Daddy will like this one.
Rachel:  What is it?
Me:  It’s a _______ (can’t divulge that info just yet)
Rachel:  Why does he need it?
Me:  Because he lost his other one.
Rachel:  Oh, did a witch take it?

A couple of weekends ago we spent the evening at a local park waiting for the fire truck to bring Santa and candy-filled stockings for all the kids.  I hadn’t heard anything about it, but saw it on the marquis at the park and thought it sounded fun.  So, we asked my parents to come along and it was actually really cool.  They had the entire park lit up and decorated for Christmas and it was beautiful.  They also had free hot chocolate, apple cider, cookies, balloons, popcorn, etc. while you waited.  And then Santa went all around town on a fire truck handing out stockings to kids until he made it to his final stop at the park.  The kids were so excited to see him coming down the street that we even ditched our spot in the animal balloon line!  Santa and Mrs. Claus and the elves made their way to a sleigh with Christmas music blaring all around them.   While we were line we were rehearsing what to say to Santa when he asked you what you wanted for Christmas.  We were only 1 family away from our turn … finally we were up … and Rachel lost it.  I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, but for some reason I was.  So, like any good mother would do I just joined Ethan in the picture.  This is what we got (Rachel’s giving Santa the major stink eye):

Tuesday night was our second attempt with Santa, and after not making a big deal about it all or even really prepping her for it, this is what we got (after the kids’ program at preschool):

And after Santa told her she could get her dollhouse, this is what we got: