Happy Birthday Daddy!

We celebrated Daddy's birthday today with a huge 'Niqua balloon (from Backyardigans). Amelia was so delighted to have it in the cart with her and there were other children in the store who looked like they wished they had one, too. Just before checking out I realized I needed white writing stuff for the chocolate cake that was requested by Daddy-oh, so our final stop was the baking aisle. While I found the white among the other 20 colors, Amelia had apparently been "parked" in front of the party plates and as I turned to put the tube in the cart she has selected some green plates and says, "We must get these for Daddy, they say Happy Birthday!" (which they did). It was really cute how serious she was but I tried to dissuade her saying we had some Thomas ones at home I thought we could use. Daddy only wanted us and Nana at his "party" so I knew we weren't going to need many plates. But she was firm, and so cute, so I thought why not. And then she insisted on the matching napkins.

Daddy got home early and Amelia ran out and met him with his 'Niqua balloon. then she "decorated the front yard" with it which means she left it out there and ran in the house to look at through the window. This is something she has enjoyed doing lately. Sometimes when I'm cooking supper I let her stand on the back deck and blow bubbles as long as she stays where I can see her (through the window). She has since become fascinated with what can be seen through windows. She will make a big deal of putting something in either the sun room or kitchen, close the door, get her step stool and then look into the other room. Then last week at church she ran around the building looking in the windows. The side where the nursery is slopes so an almost 4 year-old can easily see into the windows - and be delighted that she recognizes the room she sees!

Oh, and those plates and napkins? Forgot to use them by the time we got around to having cake! But that's okay since we have another birthday coming up in just 12 days!

[picture dated 9/10/09]