Penguin Party!!

Alexa's party this afternoon was a full success! (Though at times I felt like it was a bit chaotic, but I guess that's to be expected when you have 11 little girls running around. ;-) )
The party invitations Alexa handed out were super cute; Lucia helped me make them.  It's great to have a big girl who enjoys crafts!  Definitely made it go faster and she kept me great company.

The favor bags - Alexa was very excited to pass them out to her friends. :-)

Snowball cookies

Penguin cupcakes -- I had picked up a penguin cupcake kit on clearance last winter; they definitely came in handy!! :-)

Penguin "truffles" -- I thought we'd have quite a few of these left over, but they were almost all gone by the end. :-)

 Some "fish" sausages and a few cucumber penguins found their way onto the menu too.

The birthday girl, minutes after I had to wake her up from her nap.

 Excited about those cupcakes!

 First, we read a penguin story from the library while we were waiting for all the kids to arrive.

 Then half the kids played a fishing game...

 .... while the other half did a penguin craft.

 Then we had the cupcakes. :-)  Someone felt very special...

 Mmmmh, messy!

 Time for the gifts!

Sweet little buddies!  We love our little friend, Stellah.

Alexa, it is somehow hard for me to grasp that you somehow are 3 years old already!  It feels like just yesterday, you surprised us with your lighting-speed arrival in the stillness of night, right here at home.  What a crazy story -- I still sometimes wonder if I dreamed it all, or if it really happened that way.  But here you are, a full three years later, darling as can be, and growing up so fast!
You are a true joy, you get along so well with your sisters and have lots of fun with both of them.  (Most of the time,) you are very compliant, which continues to surprise me and makes me wonder when/if that might change, or if you are just a fairly easy-going little person who is reasonable beyond her little years.  You spared us the terrible twos; maybe you will spare us the thunderous threes as well?! ;-)
If I had to mention one attribute that reminds me that you ARE a sweet little toddler after all, it would be your flawless ability to pout. :-)  When you are disappointed by something, or your sisters aren't including you the way you think they should, you demonstrate a remarkable, whole-body pout, complete with poochie-lip, sad eyes, drooping shoulders, and sagging knees.  Thankfully, you bounce back easily!
Another fun thing about you is your vocabulary.  No doubt, you've picked up a lot from your big sisters, but it is still amazing to detect such nuance and refined expressions as you frequently put to use.  (I recently had to mourn the loss of the phrase "I have to go potty."  Now you already say, "I need to go to the bathwoom." :-( )  You are in a big-girl bed, out of diapers (for almost a year already), and independent in so many ways.  Papa and I either need to have another baby, or you need to stop growing up so fast!  (Or both! Ha.  Or not. ;-) )
You absolutely LOVE your babies; it is rare to see you without at least one of them.  You like pretty things (though not quite to the extent of your big sister (yet) ) -- your recent joy is getting into Oma's make-up. :-{  (With her express permission, lest anyone think you were being naughty.) In fact, I recently hurt your feelings when I saw you with your make-up and expressed my lack of enthusiasm.  For that, I am sorry.  You were truly convinced that you were beautiful.  And you are, (though even more so without the make-up. :-) )

Thanks for being such a joy and delight.  You are your own little "ghul"- different from both Lucia and Rhea in many ways, and yet like each of them in some ways.  We can't wait to continue getting to know you over the next years, and we pray that God would look upon you with favor as you grow up a little each day.  May His face shine upon you, and may your eyes see Him and His faithfulness to you.

With love,

Mama and Papa