Katherine is FINALLY Three

This child has been expecting her birthday to come every single day, ever since Graysen had hers in February.  She talks about it in the grocery store when she sees balloons.  She talks about it at my house when she sees stickers with birthday things on them - and just any time.  They've played birthday and sung Happy Birthday for months getting ready for this time.

When the big day came around, Emily and Graysen had both been sick, so the small gathering planned for Sunday afternoon didn't happen.  It had really been only a couple of families anyway who didn't need to chance getting sick themselves. She didn't know the difference.

It happened on Monday though, Memorial Day.  Emily rallied enough to hang a Happy Birthday banner, and that was good enough to start the day.  Graysen is heard in the background of one video yelling, "Let's celebrate this house!"

The party/lunch was to be at 11:00, so I stopped by the grocery store and found 3 balloons that she had seen earlier, including a huge 3.  When I drove up and was
struggling to get them out of the car without the wind blowing them away, I saw her run out on the porch and start yelling.  "Mimi, you know I told you I needed balloons, and now here they are!"

Aunt CeCe trying to round them up for a picture.

 Only one of Emily's friends, Jessica, and her daughter Paige, Graysen's "best friend," came over, and it was a lot of fun.  No expectations.  No pressure.

Elise even helped with the music for two dances Graysen choreographed while waiting for the party to begin,

First the Nutcracker.

Then Shake It.

Emily shucked the corn before lunch, and Katherine couldn't stop herself from attacking it like a little beast and chomping on it raw.

Lunch was delicious:  Hamburgers on the grill, baked beans, corn on the cob, mac and cheese, and lots of fruit - all at the request of the birthday girl.  She also picked the cupcake color - purple with lots of sprinkles.

The girls were playing so well we almost forget the gifts.  The only thing she asked for - has EVER asked for - was a Paw Patrol Lookout.  It seemed big and unnecessary and expensive, and no one took it seriously until a few days before when Emily and I caved.  We were planning to save it for the very last after she had opened her cards and gifts, because we knew after that, nothing could interest her much.

So she started opening her cards.  She managed to open Uncle Alan and Aunt Kathy's and was just starting to love it - soft and furry unicorn with stickers and money inside - when Ryan missed the memo and brought out the Lookout.  Oops.

They had a lot of fun with it.  It does have a lot of bells and whistles - literally - and voices saying things like, "Rubble, Rubble, on the double" and "No job is to big, no pup is too small" or something like that.  The three of them played with that for a long time, and then she was convinced to finish opening her cards and other gifts.

Back to Kathy and Alan's card.  Now she could thoroughly enjoy it - all these expressions.

Grandma and Grandpa Bindert also sent money in their card with a sweet little dress and some socks for Graysen (although Kate claims them).

She got some new Megablocks - princess colored this time - and a school bus - and a few others little things.  She is just so happy with balloons and cake and fun.

Three is a wonderful age, and Kate is a wonderful girl.  Nothing can match a child's innocence and excitement at times like this.