Party Girl

We didn't do this on purpose, but it turns out that Jill got four separate birthday celebrations when she turned four!  We could be setting a bad precedent...

First, there was a small celebration with Chris's side of the family in Glenview:

Blowing out her candle.

Can I eat it now?

Opening her presents.

Her favorite present was a pair of butterfly wings from Nana and Papa!

Next was her official Paw Patrol-themed birthday party at the park.  Although none of our family members were able to make it, everyone else on the list was there, including all of her classmates!

Paw Patrol!

Ready for the party to begin.

Excited to see her buddies!

Happy birthday Jill!

These kids were pretty excited to get some cake.

Danny couldn't keep his fingers out of it.

No tables?  No problem!

Mmmm, cake.

Jill was the only one who didn't care about eating cake.  She was too excited to hand out goody bags to all of her guests!

Worn out after partying hard.

On her actual birthday, Jill got to open presents before breakfast.  Then she got to bring in doughnuts and wear a special crown at school.  Then she got to choose where we went for her birthday dinner.  And we finished the day with a special trip to Sweet Mandy B's for a birthday cupcake!

Officially four!

Looking more grown up every day.

Posing with my birthday girl at drop-off.

She got to choose any place she wanted for dinner.  She chose Potbelly.

She actually chose a cookie instead of a cupcake, but you can't put candles in a cookie.  So I donated my cupcake for the cause.

Wearing the new locket that Chris and I got her, with her initial and birthstone on it.

And finally, Jill's fourth and final birthday celebration was with my side of the family at the lake house in Michigan.  It was part of a larger Memorial Day weekend trip (which I'll post more about later), but we took time out from all the fishing and swimming and climbing and exploring to celebrate our girl.

Strawberry cake!

She was anxious to go swimming, but we called her back from the boat to open her presents.

We knew there was something in there that she might want to take swimming with her -- a new snorkel and flippers from Aunt Christy and Uncle Ben!  She couldn't wait to put them on.

Happy birthday to our funny and fearless little four year old!  We love you!