Happy Birthday Mary!

On this day in 2008, we were celebrating the fact that Mary was born in a hospital and not in our car. I have to admit, today was a bit more fun than that.

Early this morning the kids helped me make the cupcakes for Mary's party. Mary checked on them in the oven every 10 seconds.


After lunch we had a small party with friends and neighbors at the park right down the street. The kids decorated sun visors with sparkly stickers while everyone arrived.



And then we of course spent most of the time playing on the playground.

Mary went down the slides with everyone.



Lots of playing on the swings.



And racing on the dinosaur by the Green Team.


Then we corralled everyone for cupcakes, which was actually slightly more difficult than you would imagine with a group of preschoolers - at first they just wanted to keep playing.




All the great-grandparents enjoyed watching the commotion.


As soon as each of the kids had swallowed a cupcake whole and washed it down with some watermelon, they all took off back to the playground.



(Thanks to Grandma for all the park pictures, as I did not even take my camera out of the bag).

We didn't have presents at the park party, but did have a little gift bag for each of the kids which included some of these bracelets that pleased Mary to no end.


Grandma and Grandpa had given Mary her new big wheel tricycle earlier in the day, and in the evening she opened some more presents from the grandparents:

A Dora floor puzzle which she took off with so quickly that I didn't even get a picture (it has already been put together twice), Dora pajamas that she is currently sleeping in, some movies that will be watched hundreds of times,


an awesome princess card,


and a microphone that makes your voice really loud (as if either of the girls needs help in amplification!) and also give you applause - they love it.


Catherine was so excited the whole time it was very difficult for her not to "help" Mary open all her presents.


Mary was completely exhausted by bed time, but she definitely had a very fun day, and we still have two more days with family before they have to head home!