Happy Birthday Stella!

Opening a special gift from Grandma Carla. Mom and I went shopping while I was in Austin in February and spotted something for Stella!

Stella is in love with all of her birthday cards- this one went into the collection that she has put on display across the fireplace in the living room.

Thank you Grandma Carla!

And here she is- all dressed up in her new birthday outfit ready to head off to her party. Gorgeous girl!

A few of the funny faces we see everyday on Stella!

Feels good to be 3!

Chris' parents and Grandad came up for the weekend to enjoy Stella's birthday and to celebrate (UK) Mother's Day with us. Stella's birthday weekend falls on Mothering Sunday for England and Arthur's birthday is the weekend of American Mother's day so I suspect we will be doing this same thing all over again in a few weeks!

 

We had a delicious breakfast at our favorite cafe just behind our house.

I couldn't find all the right icing I was looking for, so my seaweed looked a little drippy, but the cake come together in the end! Stella wanted an Octonaut themed birthday party, so I made an undersea cake with some Octonaut toys to top it off.

Here we go!

Stella wanted to go out and run some errands with Chris and Arthur before her party, so I stayed at home and decorated the cake while they were out. It was fun to surprise Stella with it at her party!

Going back a few days, here is she opening a present on the morning of her birthday.

Stella loves Kermit!

New Octonaut bath toys from Great Grandma Betty in America. Thank you!

An excited birthday girl!

We decided to have Stella's party at her favorite indoor soft play area, called Buzy Bees down the street from our house. She loved it! It was her and Arthur and a handful of friends playing, having lunch and then eating cake. A perfect two hours made even more enjoyable by the fact that I didn't have to do any of the cleaning up when it was over!

Our party table.

These arcade games were new and the kids got a kick out of sitting in the seats pretending to drive the race car. They spent a good 40 minutes on these and we didn't even have to put any money in!

Getting ready to cut the cake.

The 'grown up' table, where all the really mature people hung out!

Two girls learning how to drive.

Arthur and his friend Billy.

Happy Mother's Day Anne!

Arthur got to show his grandparents some of the hard work he had done in school last year.

This little wooden play kitchen was a gift from Great Grandad, and Chris' mom made Stella an Octonaut apron- things couldn't get much better for this little girl!

As always the kids loved having their grandparents here!

Modeling her apron!

We had a really great weekend and loved having family here to celebrate with us! Thanks for making it such a special day! We love you Stella!