E is 3

E's birthday was a mix of successes and failures. Fortunately, I think the successes trumped the failures, but I went to bed exasperated even still.

For breakfast she chose a waffle with peanut butter. I thought I'd make it special by adding purple sprinkles. This was a wrong move. She threw a fit until I made her a new one, sans sprinkles. Okay.

I tried to think of something fun we could do together and asked her if she wanted me to paint her fingernails. She screamed "NO!" and hit me in the face. Okay.

We had a laid back morning, watching some of her favorite shows, and then we went to the store where I let her pick out a gift. She chose a Minnie Mouse shopping cart. Which she loved until we got home, and then she insisted she wanted a Minnie Mouse doll. I told her "too bad."

At the grocery store I let her pick out balloons and a birthday cake (I enjoy making cakes, but there was no way I was going to subject myself to that kind of temptation). She, of course, picked out what I thought was the ugliest one. Whatever.

I decked out the house for a celebration.

While we waited for daddy and our friends, E insisted she wanted to drink pickle juice. Okay. Happy Birthday. I think my girls' blood is 2% brine.

E's dinner of choice was McDonald's happy meals. While everyone ate their grease-laden and delicious-smelling McDonald's I grumpily made myself a smoothie. I had thought that watching everyone eat wouldn't be a big deal. I've been doing it for nearly three weeks. It was though, and I was mad about it. Those french fries were calling out to me. Still, I was glad E was happy.

T and E's best friend, N.

I even tried to plan an activity so it felt like a real party. I was genuinely trying to think of something E would love, so I chose shaving cream pictures.

It was a hit. Except with E, who screamed and flailed like she thought the shaving cream was going to bite her and insisted she would rather go to bed than make her picture. Okay. She cuddled with Dad while everyone else made pictures, which cheered her up. I sighed. Do I even know this child?

E was very excited to blow out her candles. T accompanied us on the piano while we sang, but E would have nothing to do with eating the cake. Instead she blew out candles five or six more times and she was done with it. Okay. I cheated just a teensy bit and had one very small bite of cake.

E opened up her two presents...

... and then I pulled out the big guns. Glow in the dark wands. This was my moment of birthday magic. We turned on music and the kids had a blast. N shook her hips. E pretended to be a Jedi.

By the time it was all over I was feeling mentally weak. I just knew I couldn't resist that damn cake. Thankfully, my friend Al offered to see a movie with me. DH put the kids to bed and we went and saw "A Joyful Noise." It was just what I needed. Thank heavens for people who love me.

Now E is 3. She is communicating so much better than she did just a few months ago. With her I'm either sighing or laughing. Next step - Potty Training! She is totally capable of using the toilet when needed, she just doesn't give a crap. (He he)

I love my little spitfire. She's marching to her own beat, which I think will really take her places. I just hope she doesn't trample me in the process.