birthday weekend (part 2 of 3)

FAMILY PARTY...

Happy 4th Birthday, Madeleine!

Maddie wanted 'chocklit cake with sprinkles all over it,' so this was my version of her request.

the Birthday Girlie

the Birthday Girlie with her birthday crown, birthday bracelet, and birthday rose from Nonna & FaFa

showin' off that bracelet!

Nana & Grandpap called to wish Maddie a happy birthday.

Nonna, FaFa and LaLa came over a bit early. Mom whipped my messy kitchen into shape as only a mom can. We watched the end of the very sad, very bad Redskins game. La blew up some balloons.

Uh-oh... Fight! Fight!
I think the kids must have watched Bambi a few times too many.

The rest of the family arrived bringing party favors--horns and whistles.

Maddie wanted to have party hats at her party. You can always count on Granny to oblige.

Over dinner we played a few Maddie-games. The first was Maddie Trivia...you know things like: At what time was Maddie born? How much did she weigh? How much does she weigh now? There were some pretty angry contestants when the question of 'what is Maddie's favorite color' came up. Maddie has been declaring for months that it will be white when she is 4. However, it was still red. A riot nearly broke out!

Official winners with 5 points out of 11 (ouch!): a tie between FaFa and LaLa.
Prizes: artwork from Maddie

Next up: Maddie Bingo. Everyone had a bingo board full of Maddie's favorite things and such. Maddie helped me draw the 'chips.'

Bingo! We've got a winner! LaLa again.

Prize: a big hug from Maddie!

final game: Pin the Head on the Maddie

Maddie was scared of the scarf, so Gair was a good sport and showed her how it's done.

And would you know that she was able to place her face perfectly in the correct spot--a feat no one else was able to do! (She also accidentally dropped her face, picked it right up, and continued on...hint hint.)

Tarrah gives it a shot.

Braden was having a little too much fun spinning everyone around.

Time for cake.

After several tries Mommy had to come blow out the candles with Maddie. Maybe you'll get it next year, Maddie!


Maddie enjoyed snipping all her ribbons so carefully.

We were in the living room and all of Maddie's gifts were on the hearth in the dining room. Maddie would open a gift and then she would say, "Mommy! Can I go get ANOTHER present?!" And off she would run to the dining room to get another one. What was so cute was that she kept asking the same thing, present after present.

Here Maddie is sporting a pair of the dress-up shoes Granny had just given her.

And then came The Gift. Garrick and Tarrah bought Maddie a big wheel. PopPop is helping her (and Caleb) pull it out of the bag.

What a gift! What a birthday!