{ c. bear had four candles }

Four.

Smart and sweet and stubborn.

Affectionate and dramatic and imaginative.

Still loves pink and shoes and piggies and nail polish.

Sings the ABC song at the top of her lungs when she should be sleeping.

She had a birthday party with just family (although she kept asking for all her friends that I didn’t invite).

And since she loves to paint, the kids painted on canvas.

And used fabric markers on shirts.

And then we moved on to eating pizza and drinking Izze Clementine drinks.

And playing the game of, “I want a pink balloon. No I want HER pink balloon. Noooo … I want yellow. Make that two.”

Homemade cake with pale pink frosting because my favorite bakery couldn’t fit us in for her cake. Kinda glad it worked out that way.

Here’s her annual birthday hat from Aunt Shelby. And behind her, all the presents from lots of people who love her.

She got her first Barbie from Aunt Nikki and Uncle John. Total hit. Quarters from Aunt Marlee and Uncle Jim. A family tradition that has been going on longer than I can remember.

And here’s one of the finger puppets she got from us. For whatever reason, she loved chicken most. And lost it first.

I wish I had pictures of everything, but somewhere along the way I found myself unhinging toys from plastic prisons and it went by in a flash. But she got a riding pink jeep from grandma and grandpa, an adorable pink kangaroo from Mimi and Papa, the best art supplies (and PAPER DOLLS that I cannot wait play with!) from Nana and Papa Pete. The most thoughtful cards from Aunt Linz and Uncle Jordan and Baby Noah Bear. From friends. Thank you so much!

(Maybe you don’t care about the present inventory, but it’s all stuff I don’t want to forget.)

So anyway. She has this little doll that she’s had since her first birthday. This year she named it Claire, declaring her doll lucky for “holding a cupcake AND a sign.”

And the pendent came from my Mom. Seriously fun. And flammable, so it was removed before the flaming wax sticks were lit. Safety first, yes?

Don’t ask your child to smile for the camera. THIS is what happens.

Happy Birthday Bear Bear.

Love you to bits.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO.