Three Years Old

Saturday was my great-grandniece Cordelia's birthday.

Now she is three!

She is a very bright, talkative, busy, active, and loving little girl. She is a good big sister to baby Elise. She loves the color pink. She was thrilled to know on her birthday morning that she had reached the same age as her best friend, Sadie (who turned three two months ago).

Her grandmother, Sue, has blogged about the birthday here, but I am going to add my perspective anyway!

I traveled to the birthday girl's town with her great-grandmother (my sister Grace), my niece Tina, and Tina's son Steven. The two-hour trip passed very pleasantly as we visited with one another. We women all love to read, and the conversation turned to books. After a time, teen Steven remarked that he didn't know how anyone could talk that long about books!

Steven plays the trumpet in the high school/junior high marching band, pep band, and jazz band. He is totally obsessed with his music. I had not yet heard him play; the birthday party was my first opportunity to. In fact, the party in the park had a lot of live music. A short distance from the shelter where our party was, another group was gathered that had a live band. When their band took a rest, Steven consented to play for us. Because the trumpet is a loud instrument, he walked some distance away, stood in the shade of a tree, and played. He is a very talented trumpeter!

The purple balloon with white
polka dots led the little girls to
one of the treasure hunt clues.

Cordelia and her best friend, Sadie, had a treasure hunt devised by dad Eric. At the end of the clues, they found goody bags with lots of fun items from the Dollar Store. Their favorite things seemed to be the princess tiaras, which they wore for the rest of the party. The little princesses were so sweet together. They played and shared and looked out for each other. Not always the case with three-year-olds!

Mom Maria arrives with the cupcakes and is greeted by her grandmother, Grace.

Dad Eric decorating with balloons. Our party setting was enticing to some small children who were
gathered with their family in a neighboring shelter--they kept trying to escape and come to Cordelia's party!

Grace with great-granddaughter Elise.

Great-aunt Tina with Elise, who happily gnawed on her finger.

Blowing out the candle.

Sadie and Cordelia eating cupcakes (they ate off the delicious strawberry frosting and left the rest), with Eric.

Of course, there were pink cupcakes, Happy Birthday was sung, presents were opened. But I think the dollar tiaras were the biggest hit of the party!

Princess Cordelia and Princess Sadie with the popular maracas.