Addison & Isla: Bugs and Butterflies - Addison's 3rd Birthday Bash!

What a perfect time for Uncle Grant and Aunt Stacy to come into town! The California Kids arrived the weekend of June 25th to help us celebrate Addison's birthday and spend a few days in the Twin Cities area seeing friends and going to some ball games at the new Twins Stadium (one of which we attended with them!) before heading out to the lake for several days with Stacy's family. Our big girl turns 3 on July 2nd, but we decided to throw a party a week early to take advantage of more family being involved.

We started talking to Addison about her birthday a few weeks before...she definitely knew she was turning 3 and that there would be a party. Whenever we asked her what kind of a cake she wanted, she declared that she would like a blue spider cake. That's where my idea for a "Bugs and Butterflies" theme started...that and the fact that Addison LOVES all bugs. I couldn't just let it stop at a blue spider!

So what started as a blue spider on a cake turned into so many fun things - a bug-filled yard sign that said "Happy 3rd Birthday Addison!", tiny butterfly, bug and flower decorations covering the tables, bug and butterfly lollipops popping out of brightly colored stone-filled vases, bee and ladybug hats for the kids to wear on their "bug hunt adventure" and party-favor bags filled with bug and butterfly related activities, books, stickers, etc. Who knew there were so many bug and butterfly products out there! The cake turned out so beautifully, executed to perfection by the bakers at Byerly's. DJ literally walked in there with my specifications for the cake (requirements in technical terms, a term that now oddly resonates with me because I am a project consultant working with the HR technology team..HA!!! Me and technology!), and they did not disapoint - they turned my requirements into the cake I envisioned. Addison was in hog heaven, and the kids truly had a good time. Despite a brief moment of sprinkles, the weather was warm, the food was yummy and everyone had a great time.

We're sad that we won't be around for Addison's actual birthday on July 2nd (kid-free annual cabin weekend at Tim's!), but feel good about the fact that we had a proper celebration foe her, followed by yet another family celebration at Ba and Nana's the next night. We're very much looking forward to Addison's 3rd year - she continues to grow into a beautiful, kind, smart and hilariously funny young lady. We're so lucky and we love you so much Addison!!!!

The first thing the girls did when Grant came upstairs in the morning was attack him! They love new people to monopolize :)