p.j. is three!

Heidi had this swimming day planned with Dannell and Alicia and the little cousins, but didn't tell p.j. until this morning because she'd be confused and pester and be angry waiting.

Well, Heidi said when she told her this morning p.j. was so excited she clenched her fists under her chin and her whole body shook.

Her whole body shook!  Oh my goodness.

The pool was warm and gorgeous and the air around the pool is lush. There are huge windows providing natural light.   The concession area and locker rooms though, ouch!  Not warm.

We had fun, and the kids loved it  That's a picture above of Julia, Tim, and Lydia, newly confident after 10 weeks of swimming lessons where they learned a lot about proper kicking and strokes and breathing.

They're older now, not little tykes.   They caught on instantly.  Funny how that works.

But back to her--we had Princess Pizza afterward.    Her mom, aunts and I have puzzled where this princess phenomenon came in?  No idea, but just like Julia's love of the Bieber, we don't ask that many questions, just go with it.

These are the amazing Princess Cupcakes!    When the baker brought them out, p.j. jumped for joy and hollered, "Yay!"   The baker laughed, pleased to delight.

Grandpa drove out to Wisconsin in the afternoon to pick up Maria at the university, and they came back later and ate Princess Cupcakes.

That's a picture of Julia and Lydia eating pizza.  The sofa is covered with sheets because the dog sprawls on it all day long while everyone is at work.

These are the guinea pigs, Rufus (the white one) and Rory.  They don't stink up the couch, not that they don't sometimes stink.   But usually they smell like hay and warm grass.

They had a lot of attention today. Lydia and Maria had to snuggle them. I kissed Rufus.   p.j. tends to lift them by the neck, which makes Heidi very nervous, but on a guinea pig there aren't really arms to get your hands under.

 Presents!  Lots of Princess presents!

Okay, see Julia there.  Looks fairly innocent and all?

She told us a story a couple days ago about how when she fake burps the alphabet, she can only get to V and then she feels like she's going to throw up.

She can't get the whole way.

 I don't even know what to say about that.   (That's a washcloth wrapped around the end of her pigtail so it won't drip maddeningly all over her shirt.)

And here's p.j.'s fine dog, enjoying the party SO MUCH.

This toy ice cream set is pretty beautiful, but it led to some serious arguing at points.   The pretend ice cream container flew through the air and conked b.g. on the head and he was incensed.  I think he was just frustrated by his little brother, aka Napoleon.

He's an angelic looking little dictator, but he's TWO and nobody forget it, or else.  Or else, you got that?

 Oh my gosh.  I find them all so entertaining.  But see the cones in that package? Wooden!  So glad those didn't bonk him on the head.

It was such a great, fun day.

And my darling p.j.? 

 

Three years ago at the end of a late winter day, there you were.

 

These are pictures from the next day when all the little aunts and uncles came to meet you.

 



She still feels that way about you.

 

We all do.  This whole family is so lucky having you for a girl. You make everything fancy and funny and sort of wonderful.

(If I could eat taquitos in my grandparents' bed in the morning and watch cartoons, I totally would do that right now.)

Happy Birthday, Honey.   Love forever, Grandma and Grandpa and Everybody.