Birthday Girl/ Independence Day.

My Independence Day Birthday Girl!

That's right. My sweet little Molly was born on the 4th of July! This is only fitting for several reasons...

1) The 4th of July is my favorite holiday (It ties with Christmas)

2) My Grandmother (Mom's mom) was also born on the 4th of July!

3) Molly is my little miss independent.

The 4th is always so much fun. My family always has a huge party that starts with breakfast in the morning and ends with fireworks late at night. Because of this fun tradition we have never had a really "Birthday Party" for Molly on her birthday. So this year I asked Molly what kind of birthday party she wanted. We went to a party store and let her look at all of the fun Dora plates and Elmo party hats and on and on, but when all was said and done she told me she wanted a pink party. As the Ideas started to flow I decided since we spend every 4th with my family (Because it's tradition and it's so fun every year) That maybe we could have in a sense have 2 parties, one to celebrate Molly's Birthday with Kris's family and involve them in one of my favorite Baird family traditions... the 4th of July breakfast, and then go down and celebrate with my family for dinner, jets, firework, and the movie on the side of the house.

We invited Kris's family and some friends/neighbors to our "Pink Breakfast Birthday Party".

We had so much fun. What amazing friends and neighbors we have. Margaret & Alex thanks for holding Stella and helping out so much. I got to know some of them better than I did before. One of witch was an elderly man that lives up the street and just lost his wife. He has made both of my girls wooden stools, which they love, and I hadn't gotten to know him really well until yesterday. We were so glad he came and everyone else.
Breakfast was (Mostly pink) Pink homemade buttermilk pancakes (my brothers recipe) with the homemade syrup. Sooooo good Really you can't go bake. Mini Bagels with Pink raspberry and Pink strawberry cream cheese, Strawberries with Pink fruit dip, Watermelon, Mini O.J. mini chocolate milks, Pink milk (no not strawberry, just food coloring) water, and then because we didn't have cake and ice cream we did lots of pink candy and pink grab bags for everyone to take home treats. It was so much fun. Molly got lots of fun presents, everyone was so nice and generous. Here are shots of the birthday party...

Just before the Party ended Stella we off to take a nap and Molly was shortly after as well. Kris and I worked on clean up and then took a nap ourselves... well what nap we got. Then Kris washed the cars and we were off to my parents. We had Costa for dinner and then had cupcakes (side note about the cupcakes. This was my request every year for my birthday cake growing up. It was my Grandmas cake and she would make it for me every year. I love that symbolism... Molly being born on her birthday so this is the cake I have made the last 2 years.) Then we opened presents and played outside in the yard and talked on the deck until the Jets flew over for the stadium of fire. This is my favorite part of the 4th. This year they also had 2 helicopters fly over as well. It's just fun because they come right over my parents house. Then we just hung out until the fireworks started. Molly was so funny. Kris and I gave her a camera for her birthday and she kept taking pictures of herself and the flash would go off totally blinding us, but she loves that camera. Also while we were waiting for the fireworks to start we could hear the performers and Molly asks "Mommy what's that sound?" I told her they were singing and then she asked "are they playing their instruments?" like what 3 year old ask that? Oh she is so cute. So I was totally bummed about the movie (we didn't do one on the side of the house this year) but it was still an amazing 4th. I just can't believe that my baby is 3! Oh how fast they grow. Here are some pictures of party #2 at my parents house!