Birthday BBQ Bash

Mia's birthday started out with a big girl move...I took the side off of her crib and converted it to a toddler bed. She's quite excited to be able to get in and out on her own (she never figured out she could climb out of the crib.) At nap time, she just got out once and came out to see me. When I woke up from my nap, I thought I'd quick get ready before she woke up. To my surprise she was quietly sitting in the hallway with a big smile on her face. I think she must've woke up, saw me still sleeping, and didn't quite know what to do. She couldn't have been there for long; I'd would've heard her. That's something new for me to get used to...Mia appearing, anytime, anywhere.

For Mia's third birthday we had a family party at my parents' house. Mia had her dinner of choice: hot dogs and corn on the cob (adults got bleu cheese burgers and Dad's whiskey beans-yum). Of course, I think she was too excited to eat much of anything. She had a great time opening presents: Toy Story, Dora, purses, backpacks, and more. She even had a Dora pinata that we were not allowed to hit, touch, destroy, etc. I knew we wouldn't be able to decapitate her favorite character, but thought maybe I could rig the candy to fall easily with a gentle tap from a pool noodle. One mention of the word hit and Mia said, "No hitting Dora. That would make me sad." So, I rigged Dora's backpack to just hold the candy and Mia could just pass it out. Dora had a near miss with a spilled wine glass. She's a bit speckled in a Rhone varietals red blend, but survived. Mia, though, was in tears until we gave her a piece of candy from the backpack. Overall, a great evening. Here's a few pics for you to enjoy.

Mia's birthday dessert of choice...ice creamy with chocolate candy bar. No cake for this girl.