our sweet princess lady turned 4 years old last weekend!!! i know i will find myself in complete disbelief year after year at how quickly they grow and are suddenly so far from being the sweet babies you once put in tiny diapers and little clothesies… but this was the first year it was really – really – crazy to me. she’s a little person! a beautiful lady with a big heart and a million complex thoughts and feelings. she’s now closer to school age than babyhood, with all sorts of opinions and ideas of her own. in fact! she pretty easily gave me the details on all she wanted for her 4th birthday, and i just love that about her. she knows what she likes! and this year she requested a ballerina birthday at the farm with pink and gold and sparkles and a little blue. 🙂
so! we started with balloons, which are always the greatest gift of all, yes?! aaaand special pancakes by daddy!!! steven used to say he was going to make pancakes on saturday mornings when we had a family, since that’s what his dad did… but… we never eat pancakes anymore given our general avoidance of half the delicious ingredients. but on this day!! fluffy pancakes for maddalena!!! gosh, they were deee-licious. and ha, madd was so proud to use a knife for the first time as she buttered and cut her own pancakes! because she is 4 years old, of course! then, she got to open up one little gift at home, a little golden book about a ballerina. and after naps and dressing and assembling a proper ballerina bun! we headed farmward. 🙂
oooh boy, did she receive a darn good gift upon arrival at the farm! once she saw a little playhouse out back, her sweet leggies took off running!! and let’s just say my new favorite photos of all time are of maddalena and rocco playing in this house on this day in these outfits. i. can’t. handle! i love them obnoxiously and i can’t hide it for a second. <3
…and because my dad and brother are so wonderful, they hung the little horsey tire swing my mom had gotten for her a while back, as well! her “coggin” pushed her on it for a little while, and her face was filled with pure, genuine delight. and fear. a little fear. haha. also, i mean, this day!!! so much fun and the festivities were only getting started!
i mean, i will never get over them! sometimes i think i am definitely losing my mind, but then i tell steven… how can we not have at least one more of these??? i’d probably feel like i was losing my mind with or without kids. 🙂 so. a million, please? I LOVE YOU, BABIES!!
rocco’s side tongue!!! he has been doing his tongue completely sideways since he was tiny. i can do it, and my mom can do it, but steven and maddalena cannot, so we marvel at the genetics involved!
dinner a la grillmaster steven and my mommy! and as our sophie kitty joined maddalena in her chair, i mentally recalled the days of our daily bed cuddles, soph dedicatedly licking madd’s little baby head as her kitty instincts demanded. 🙂 i miss that!
and then! a sudden rain shower! it was so beautiful as the golden sun sparkled through the drops of water. i walked out the front door to find the kids frolicking happily through it. aaand then our dear chrissy came to the rescue when they needed assistance, as neither of their parents was in the mood for rain play. chrissy is literally the best.
for a little while, our princess girl here was asking for a bike as her gift from us. but one day, she changed her mind to roller skates and never looked back. so! maddalena girl got her first pair of roller skates… and oh my gosh!! i am SO proud of her!!! there she was, a pink princess at her ballerina birthday, ready to pad up and tackle skating. sure she’s barely 4, but i admire her a whole, whole lot.
all that grandfather love!!! the best. i am so thankful to be close to both of our families and know that my children will grow up experiencing so. much. love. and! my daddy’s birthday is the day after maddalena’s!! she sure has the best ever papa to share a birthday weekend with. 🙂
…at least i’m keeping one of us entertained! 😉 [yep, me, i know.] ps. i love you.
so, apparently i baked the heaviest cake of all time, ha! that sucker was dense. i think it was partly because i don’t want to make cheapo chemical box cakes for my youngens, and partly because i ran out of eggs and substitued with yogurt. i am seriously not a cake pro! aaand when barbie turned out to be too tall for her cake skirt [woops!!! not a measuring pro, either] my mom completely saved me with her icing skills. 🙂 anyway, one day when i really want to impress a bunch of people, i’m sure i can just hire the job out! [or you know, have my mom do it, WINK!] but this year, all i wanted was to make my maddalena girl smile when she saw a ballerina barbie come out wearing her birthday cake. mission accomplished, i think!!
plus… it was yummy!
…pretty sure i’m going to have some for lunch. 😉
i also have to note that those little bunbuns were both super duper amazing the whole day given the fact that for the past week, a terrible cold virus has been slowly taking each of us down! ugh, terrible! [thank goodness for those free homeopathic consultations from my mother-in-law! aka. bed-ridden SOS texts.] but it was a good day, indeed, and maddo was sooo happy!
so… a million and one favorite photos later, i just could not be more grateful. for my girl. for the last four years. for family that loves her well. thank you guys!!
and happy 4 years, princess maddalena rosey girl!!!
[wearing! maddalena’s dress // maddalena’s ballet slippers // rocco’s monogrammed bubble // rocco’s shoesies // my tutu skirt // my ballet flats]
Two things!
1. I always envisioned Eric making pancakes every Saturday when he's a Dad and nixed that idea for the exact same reason! 😉
2. This party is absolutely precious! Nice job girlie!
yes!! daddy pancakes are the sweetest and M thinks it's the most special thing ever. 🙂 so… maybe special occasion pancakes are the way to go!! and thank you, beauty!
happy birthday sweet M! beautiful girl!
thank you, lady!!!
Happy belated to your Maddalena! Looks like a lovely party!! I had the same feeling when Mia turned 4 last month, such a difference! Such a big year! Isn't it fun to see their own little person evolve as each year goes by? It's bittersweet in the best way possible 🙂
thank you so so much!! it's crazy how fast they grow!!
mads are you for real??!! I just wanna snuggle you, you perfect tiny princess!! I seriously die over her sweetness and preciousness.
thank you, sweet love!! i wish we could all snuggle!!
So. What a day! She just looks so adorable and lovely in her dress and that hair! She's got such great taste, just like her mama! Those babes of yours. You are such a lucky lady to have them and them to have you! She had such a wonderful day and she deserves it!!!
thank you, beauty!! it was a good day!!! i sure do love this mom job. 🙂 🙂