The Dormouse had her fourth birthday this past weekend. There's been much discussion over the past month about her birthday and just how we would celebrate and the suggestions have been multiple and about as varied as counting pennies to insert in rolls for the bank. Thanks to Oriental Trading Company magazines and their endless supply of paper plate and napkin products, we went from "Princess party" to "Kitty party" to "Mermaid party" to "High School Musical Two party" to "Cinderella party" to "Sleeping Beauty party"... the list doesn't end, just my resolve to write it all down.

In the end, we didn't get it together at all. We really intended to throw her a party for her peers, but it was the weekend of my church's general conference and that made all her church friends unavailable for a Saturday afternoon party. We had about a million different brainstorms for excellent and/or fantastic parties, but when celebrating with your parents and their adult friends, the excitement kind of paled. So ultimately, between
new baby, company, conference and general post partum apathy, we just copped out.

After I got through the initial shock of HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN... I TOLD YOU THAT THREE WAS THE LIMIT AND YOU WEREN'T ALLOWED TO GET OLDER, we held a little celebration at her school on Friday and then on her actual birthday, took her to
this place, which will henceforth be known as "my birthday surprise". There's not much in the world The Dormouse enjoys more than fall, pumpkins and Halloween, so it's fitting that her birthday falls during this month when all her favorite things are available and about:

Slides

Pony rides

Baby pigs

Haystacks

Face painting

Cows to milk

I don't even know what to call this, but she loved it

Pumpkins

Thanks to Monica for the awesome party and cake...

especially the trick birthday candles. (She claims she didn't do it on purpose, but it provided endless amusement.)


I'd like to wax saptastic about her

last birthday and the year we've been through and all the changes we've seen, but I lack the brain cells to do so today.

So instead, say "cheese",

and take The Caterpillar's advice and get a nap.