Emma's 3rd B-day Weekend 1 of 3: Actual Birthday

Caleb started smiling on command...hilarious! He sticks his chin out (so he's got an underbite) and squints his eyes a lot. I have to say, it looks somewhat painful, but it is incredibly cute. ha

The birthday girl.
What a grown up little 3 year old. She was wearing the crown from Aunt Brenda and Uncle Terry's card.

With Mommy.

Funny story: A few months ago, we happened to go to IHOP for Daddy's birthday. She got pancakes, which is something I've never made for her at home (I don't know why, but we end up eating oatmeal most mornings). Since that day, she's been asking "When it's my birthday, I get pancakes?..."
"Sure!" we said.
And that, folks, is how traditions are born. This night, it was Emma's turn to get those pancakes again.

"Daddy, I want that bite!!!"

Our waitress found out it was her birthday (not really 'found out'---more like informed. Emma told her immediately upon entering the restaurant), and brought her a sundae. She ate the cherry and whipped cream, but didn't like ice cream (that's just crazy talk).

Funny Story: She had to potty during dinner, so off we went to the bathroom. The toilet had one of those flushers that is motion sensored, and so after she was done, she was a little sad when she didn't get the satisfaction of flushing her pee pee. "It's a fancy flusher," I said. "You should tell Daddy about it." (I said this just to keep her mind occupied as we washed hands and talked about how you don't touch anything in public bathrooms. Once out of the bathroom, she ran right up to our waitress and the manager and said "That potty has a fancy flusher!!!!" They roared with laughter. Next on her list of people to tell were a couple eating their dinner in a booth...then finally, we made it to our own booth where she told Daddy.

Another funny story: Emma doesn't eat sugar, except for the natural sugars in fruit, etc. But at her IHOP dinner, she had 5 pancakes, strawberry fruit topping with whipped cream, my apple cinnamon topping with whipped cream, her sundae whipped cream and cherry. By the time we left, she was seriously bouncing all over the booths at the entrance while we were checking out. I've never seen her like that. Up. Down. Off. On. Run. Wave hands madly. Hop back on. Then, just when she couldn't contain herself anymore, she exclaimed, "I want to JUMP....ALL AROUND!!!" Adam and I lost it. too funny!!!

"Mirror Mirror on the Wall, who's the fairest of them all?" --Ava
Emma got this vanity on her bday (from Miss Brenda and Carsen). Carsen had used it when she was little and they brought it over to see if Emma might like it. Oh. My. Word. It has a hairdryer, nail polish, 2 lipsticks (plastic, of course), vanity lights and the thing talks. It says things like "it's time to get ready!---that's a pretty pink lipstick," and makes a cool little hair dryer sound when you take it out of the holder. Emma was in HEAVEN. She's such a girly girl, and this gift was p-e-r-f-e-c-t.

"I'll admit it. I chewed on her pink lipstick. Shhhh."

At the vanity.

Unrelated topic...
I have been meaning to post about our little furry friend for a while. See that flat part on our tree? He lays down on that part every day, oftentimes with an arm hanging down or something. It's as if he's saying "it's too hot to move." It was over 105 every day last week. ugh.

Caleb says: I love youuuuuuuuuuuuu Ava!!!!! Come here and let me grab that tail!!!!
Emma says: Gimme my comb, Caleb!
Ava says: Watch it mister. You touch me again and we're gonna have a problem.


I have some videos I need to post...but they'll have to wait til later.