Happy Birthday Baby!

So a dear friend of mine informed me that she still calls her little one "the baby," and I figure that gave me permission to still think of Kylie as a baby too...

She and I started our day late (thanks to very little sleep while Ian was gone last week and the time change Saturday night we were both exhausted and needed a little catch up time) ~ okay, VERY late. We woke up around 10:30. After morning snuggle time we headed downstairs so that she could help Daddy make her oatmeal. By the time that was finished it was time for Ni Hao Kai-Lan. I asked her if she wanted to watch Kai-Lan and she responded with, "Yah! Ni Hao." I've seen a kids t-shirt that says, Ni Hao Y'all! I'm so going to get it for her...

Then it was time to make birthday cupcakes! We shopped for a cake mix yesterday and she honestly picked this one out by herself ~ I was thrilled because I love strawberry cake mix. I guess it helps that her favorite color is pink!











Last year her cupcakes were flowers and ladybugs. I told Ian that I hated to repeat the same thing and he suggested that I make butterflies because Kylie likes them. At first I didn't think I could figure it out, but I think they turned out rather cute!


My mom came over to visit for a while ~ birthdays were always a big deal in our family! Even when I was at Elon Mama would drive up to take me out to dinner on my actual birthday. Kylie was so glad to see her Lao Lao because she had been in Florida for the past week. Grandma showered her with a few gifts, including a pair of lime green crocs! They had fun playing together and I took a leisurely shower and "getting ready for the day" time.

I had planned to make Kylie some of her favorite macaroni and cheese for dinner, but when I asked her what she wanted (more out of being curious to see if she understood my question than anything else) for her birthday dinner she said, "Pisa!," so off to the grocery store we went! Oh, and it seemed so strange to buy 2% milk instead of whole milk for a change...

When we got home Daddy was finished working and Kylie had some play time with him. She is an adrenaline junkie and kept asking for more! I love this outfit that my mom had found a while back. Kylie had a fit when her Aunt "CiCi" and I put it on her, but as soon as she saw herself in the mirror she loved the teddy bear and kept lifting the birthday flap up and down to play peek-a-boo with it.

Traci and Adam arrived for our low key dinner and Kylie was THRILLED with her gift from Aunt "CiCi" and Uncle Adam ~ a princess makeup kit. At least so far it seems that it is "non-staining"...

We host a Bible study with some of our friends on Monday nights, and these folks are like family. We knew they'd want to celebrate our little bundle of joy with us tonight so we served cupcakes before we started. These days Kylie loves sweets, so she was a bit more enthusiastic about her cupcake than last year.

"So I (and by I we mean Mommy and Daddy) blew out the candle, now can I eat it?"

"What was I thinking last year? This stuff is AWESOME!"

Before bed we opened a handful of birthday cards, including ones from "Mimi and Nna Nna" (Uncle Adam's parents ~ Mickey and Ann) and China sisters Hallie and Kristin and then saw an e-card from Grace. We miss our Guangdong group and can't wait to see you this summer!

Luckily with her birthday falling during the week we get to celebrate again over the weekend...
Kylie you have no idea how much Mommy and Daddy love you! You are our sunshine!

**And on the subject of cuteness and sunshine, check out Kylie's Lianjiang sister Caroline singing Happy Birthday to Kylie! We love you Caroline!