Graeber Family: A perfect 3rd birthday

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

A perfect 3rd birthday

Yesterday was Grafton's 3rd birthday, and I really could not have asked for it to be a better day! From the moment she woke up, Grafton was on cloud nine! We started the day off with a breakfast cupcake with candles then went to get some birthday donuts before school. We took cupcakes to her Mothers' Morning Out class, and Grafton wore her birthday dress which she was very excited about! When school was over, we picked Grafton up with a car full of balloons, then DeeDee took us for a birthday lunch at Grafton's favorite place, and she even got some birthday ice cream before we left. Are we seeing a trend here???? LOTS of sugar.... We went home for naps, and I was lucky enough to get to nap with the birthday girl!

On a side note, ever since the day she was born, one of our special times has always been nap time. As a baby, she and I would nap together every single morning, and I cherished that time so much. As she got a little older, we would nap on the couch each afternoon or cuddle up in bed together. Now, as she has gotten older and James has come into our world, I rarely get to nap with her. I still get lots of cuddle time, but I don't usually get to stay with her throughout her nap. So for me to get to nap with her again yesterday, just like old times, was so special for both of us. When Grafton woke up from her nap, she rolled over and looked at me with a huge smile on her face and said "Mommy! You stayed with me today!! I LOVE my birthday!!" She was so excited that I hadn't left while she was asleep. It melted my heart and reminded me that it is the little things that matter....the little things are the big things.

After naptime we loaded up and went shopping! DeeDee bought Grafton new dance clothes, tap shoes, and ballet shoes for her dance class she is starting this week. Grafton was sooooo excited- I didn't think we would get the tap shoes off of her! Then we shopped a little more, Pops came and met us and played with the kids while we shopped, and then off we all went to Chick-fil-a for Grafton's birthday dinner. James and Grafton played on the playground way too long, we ate, then headed home for a few more presents. It was a fantastic day and night, and I really wouldn't have done anything differently. Grafton said over and over "I love my birthday!" and I know she felt so special. I hope I never forget her sweet smile and laugh from this birthday and how excited she was all day long. It was one of those days that I kept saying "Wow, God has blessed me so so much!"

1st picture as a 3 year old!