Madeline's First 3rd Birthday Party

 We usually have 2 birthday parties for Madeline since we are already in Roanoke the weekend before her birthday.  We have the other one at our place the following weekend to include friends and family from home.  So, this is Madeline's "Roanoke" party.  

My mom used to decorate cakes.  So, we got out all her old cake pans and let Madeline choose one that she liked.  She chose Cookie Monster.  

My mom and I worked on the icing together.  And Madeline added the sprinkles after her nap.

She was very happy with her cake.  But, as always, showed restraint and didn't finish her piece. 

Ella, on the other hand, just kept asking for more.  Maybe that is why Ella weighs more than Madeline.  

Before Madeline opened presents, we played and hung out with family.  

But, Madeline was super excited to open presents!

She liked her pink balloons too, because "light pink" is her favorite color.  (Which made me a little surprised that she wanted the cookie monster cake.)  

Madeline got make up, beauty shop things and dress up clothes.  I looked all over for pretend makeup.  But, all I could find was real kids makeup.  I knew that would get all over the house, so I found a blog about making your own makeup.  So, I made her some eye shadow and blush with fingernail polish.  And then I let the fingernail polish bottles dry out and she got 2 pretend bottles of fingernail polish too.  

Gigi and Pawpaw gave her the beauty shop supplies like a hair dryer, curling iron, flat iron and brush.  

 The hair dryer really works!  The dress up clothes were from Gigi and Pawpaw too.  

It's hard to keep Oliver out of the make up.  He loves to chew on the eyeshadow applicators and stick the  fingernail polish sticks in his ears.  

Abby, Will and Madeline had a great time playing Beauty Shop.  

Oliver and Ella fought over the coolest chair in the house.  

Madeline also got a Mrs. Potato head.

And she has been begging for a yo yo and jump rope for months.  She also got, from my grandparents and aunt, a Cinderella Barbie doll and a CD player.

Nathaniel and Kanon gave her cool bath flutes.  But, she refuses to say thank you for them.  So, they were left at Gigi and Pawpaw's house.  I'm not sure what's up with that.  But, she is still holding her ground.  Maybe we can give them to Oliver for Christmas.   I kind of want to play with them.