Bella is Three!

And now we'll share pictures from Annabelle's 3rd birthday. It was her second day of school.

Bella and Isabella at recess
Our neighbor and one of Bella's best friends, Kristin
Bella in line, headed outside

After school, Bella told me that Daddy brought cupcakes and everybody got chocolate all over and Daddy took pictures before Ms. Laura gave everyone wipes to clean up. I love hearing the kids tell me about their day! Here's the pictorial evidence:

Jackson with a chocolate cupcake face
Hallie with chocolate cupcake hands

Daddy was post-call on Bella's birthday so he could come home and celebrate with her. On the way home, he stopped by her school to bring her class cupcakes for snack, and he stayed for circle time and recess.

Isabela in the reading corner
Bella reading after snack time
Addie at circle time
Violet and Alex during circle time

On Bella's birthday morning, I did my best to wake Bella up for school pleasantly. I gave her a backrub and sang her good-morning songs and we even danced to "shake the sleepies out." Eventually we just had to get up and get ready for school, which she protested long enough that she didn't have time to eat breakfast. I couldn't send her to school with no breakfast on her birthday, so we sat on the steps in front of the school while she ate her banana after we dropped Gabi and the neighbors off.

The birthday breakfast: a banana
Bella's only birthday requests were cupcakes and bananas

That evening, we had a family celebration at dinner and opened Bella's presents from us. We gave her red curtains and a tension rod to hang up in the entryway to the living room to use as a stage for the "shows" she and Gabi like to put on for us. Lolo and Lola gave her a microphone, which completed the set.

Gabi introducing Bella "on stage"
Bella singing in front of her new "stage curtains"