3rd Birthday

Birthday brunch on Saturday with G & G, Uncle Ben &
the Tanners!

Thanking Daddy for breakfast

MaryAlice was oblivious to the overload of her birthday.  Not only do we share a birthday, which I was okay with before my grandpa died on "our" day.  The day was already overloaded being the girls last day of school and a carnival to celebrate.  I cleverly decided to call the carnival MaryAlice's birthday party, but it ended up being far more than I could handle on one day.  I told Andy a few days ago that I officially moved my day to July 2.  It's possible to share with my baby, but not with that and Grandpa's birthday.

Andy took MA and I out to breakfast and then dropped us off at the mall while he got a haircut.  MaryAlice was  a spectacle with her "birthday girl" shirt and skirt.  She did surprisingly well since I quickly hauled her into Younkers to pick up a black dress for the funeral and a card at Hallmark... w/o a stroller to lock her in place.  It was an act of God to find a dress on sale for $20. I needed to get a card for Grandma, so I had to take her to Hallmark... not a kids store as it's over half breakable!  I whisked her in, picked up a card and was trying to distract her while I paid by talking to her about her party.  She got super excited, so I had to calm her by telling her she needed to take "a little rest" (nap) before we could go to her party.  This is when she laid down in the middle of the store and commenced fake snoring as she said,  "I rest here so I go to my party!"  We gathered a crowd and brightened a tough day!

Lying down on the floor in the middle of Hallmark

I know I have pics from the party somewhere, but I can't seem to find them.  The whole day was such a emotional day that I barely remember any of it except for the card several of the ladies (moms/faculty) at school gave me with a gift certificate.  It was so unexpected and thoughtful that it moved me immensely.  What sweet ladies!  I needed to tangibly feel loved that day and they sure did that for me.  It got me through the carnival with a smile and home before I crashed in my bed...