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 :)

Yard sign

Ba arriving with the balloons

Setting up the backyard

Food table

Stacy and Addison hanging out in the morning before guests arrived

Fun table decorations - lollipop vases

Bugs and flowers

Pinata!

Cutie pie!

Addison's best buddy Claire was the first to arrive - she loved the trampoline!

Neighbor Alex arriving in style

DJ and Dana manning the grill

Brenda and Mike - Brenda is our beloved daycare provider/neighbor

Addison was full of hugs

Ba and Isla sharing a laugh

and Addison...

Bug Hunting!

Each kid had their own net

to find the big plastic bugs I hid in the grass

Pinata time! Addison was a little hesitant

But all the kids took good swings

Claire was an animal!

Even Isla got in on the action

But I ended up breaking it...finally

Scampering for candy

Presents!

Kellen helped Addison open things and she was very good about it

Party-favor bags
Ahhh...the cake

You should have seen the glowing look on Addison's face - proceless!

Party the next night at Ba and Nana's - Grant and Stacy brought gifts for Isla too!

Addison got a sit n' spin which Isla loved

Tickling the ivories

Dinner time!

Leftover cake for dessert

So happy

Happy Birthday



Cake monster..watch out!

Kaili's Visit and Father's Day

My very best buddy from childhood, Kaili, came to visit the Barat clan a couple of weeks ago. She was in town for a conference in Minneapolis the following week, so stayed with us from Thursday through Sunday the week before. I just realized I hardly got any pictures of her visit, but rest assured that we had a great time together. Kaili loaded a bunch of kid-friendly apps to her iPad for Addison, and now Addison is sufficiently addicted to technology. I knew we were in trouble when she woke up one morning and said "So where's the iPad?"

The next weekend was Father's Day, which we celebrated with a Saturday night dinner at our house with Ba and Nana, followed by a Sunday BBQ and pool day at Heather and Guy's. Isla LOVES the pool - she will be our water baby!

Kaili's visit was followed by Grant and Stacy's arrival, which was also a blast. Stay tuned for highlights from their visit and Addison's 3rd Birthday Bash!

Kaili enjoying a cocktail while Addison peruses the iPadCutie patootie!

Isla enjoying pound cake with strawberries and whipped cream on Father's Day
Pool time!

All tuckered out
Isla's new trick - insisting that she feed herself!

Addison has a talent for raising one eyebrow, so we encourage her to talk like a 20's era gangster - "Yeah see - you'll never take me alive copper!" Heheee.

Addison's Daycare Write-Up

Although we have a regular daycare situation for which we are thankful each and every day, at times Brenda needs the day off, so we move to the backup plan. Through Target, we have access to a daycare center called Bright Horizons. Bright Horizons is purely a back-up center, but it is totally convenient (right downtown near work), clean, fun, same teachers every time, and Addison loves going there. They sing and dance, do artwork, play games and of courses, there are other kids in the same age range for Addison to have fun with. At the end of the day when you pick your kid up, they hand you a report of sorts, with all the day's activities recorded, what time they went to the bathroom, napped, what they ate, etc. At the bottom is a little hand-written summary, which I always enjoy reading. Addison's write-ups are consistently positive and include things like "Addison is very verbal", or "Addison is a true leader", or "Addison is so polite!" But yesterday's was so funny that I decided I should memorialize it here. It goes like this:

"Addison is a bright, bubbly girl who lights up the room. Always the first to answer a question, story-time with Addison is a blast. She painted with gusto, spun her ribbons dancing to The Wiggles, and when she left to use the bathroom, she returned by flinging open the door and declaring 'Alright boys, I'm baaaaack!' Great day!"

DJ and I could not stop laughing, especially over this last bit of letting all the boys know she was done using the potty. What a character!

We enrolled her in a 2-day a week preschool starting in the Fall, so are really excited for her to experience a "school" setting and learn even more. She can't stop talking about going to school already. We're looking forward to her big 3rd birthday party next weekend - a bugs and butterflies theme! Watch for pictures soon.