Rachel Claire is 4!

There was an awesome birthday party for Rachel Claire at the Grandma's last weekend. We had just the right number of guests, games and food. A great time was had by all. And hopefully someone will send me some photos of Rachel Claire opening her gifts because I was helping with that and I didn't get to take any.

Rachel Claire got some great loot!! Lots of wonderful things from the people who love her. Lots of princess stuff and a nifty ballerina costume that has already gotten some wear. A wonderful kids camera that Rachel Claire loves -- we've already had to charge the batteries twice, thank goodness for the battery charger! And some great books! And lots more things that I'm trying to parcel out little by little so they stay fun for a long time. Just to get an idea of how much sensory overload there was, I asked Rachel Claire on the way home in the car if she could remember anything she got for her birthday (just an hour before) and she said -- no! When prompted she came up with the ballerina outfit...

My college buddy Liz came with her two girls (Ava & Bridgette) who are just about the same age as (cousin) Emma and Rachel Claire. I was a bit worried that RC and Emma didn't know them very well (I really invited Liz so she and I could catch up) and wouldn't play with them but they all played swimmingly together.

And it was a beautiful day for all of those fun activities like painting pumpkins and making crowns (and playing the sandbox).

Grandma & Grandma Carol did a great job of making everything princess perfect! Including an amazing cake that mom made with a doll's head on it. Its still yummy!!

(cousin) Nicholas as Thomas Jefferson