Once again, Tula's third birthday was a whirlwind of celebrations and parties and excitement. But the best part about this year's festivities was that it was Tula who was the most excited for all of it, and of course her anticipation for all the festivities made it all that much more exciting for me. June was actually a tough month, we had a couple other birthday parties to attend and it literally got to the point where at one party Tula spent most of the time sitting at the gift/cake table just staring at the cupcakes and presents, asking if she could open them. Because we had talked about the fact that her third birthday was coming up, that month leading up to it, every day at her quiet time she would ask if it would be her birthday party when she came out. It was adorable of course. So when the big day came, it was a BIG day.
Tula's first party celebration was actually a couple days before her actual birthday while we were in Canada at the lake. The day of June 29th we ended up travelling back to Calgary from the lake so we did it a few days before then. My mom had had a girls weekend out there and there was lots of relatives, aunties and cousins and even Great Grandma Matson. Tula got a surprise party after lunch one day with a Toy Story Cake and a couple gifts to open from GG and Papa. Of course she loved all the attention and was so excited about her new Jessie doll. But her big celebration was after she got home and got to have her real party with her friends. This was what she was really excited about, to be the party girl and surrounded by all the kids in her life that have truly become such important little friends to her. We had her party about a week after her actual birthday, on Friday July 9th. It was John and my turn to host our neighborhood "date night" and I decided that with 8 of her little friends already here, why not just invite a few more and make that her party. At this point, entertaining a bunch of toddlers has to be be easier that hosting all the parents as well. So Tula had her first big girl drop off party, from 6 to 9. John and I hired a babysitter to be there with us for extra hands, but it actually ended up being a pretty easy and uneventful night, we probably could have managed on our own. The kids had all eaten dinner already, so we turned on some music when they got here and let them have a "dance party" in the living room for awhile. There was also a bunch of them playing in the toy room. Then someone decided they wanted to play outside, so as HOT as it was out there, we let all the kiddos run around for a few minutes, and brought cupcakes out and sang Happy Birthday to our girl. Then inside to open a few gifts, and upstairs to watch a movie together while the kids waited for their moms and dads to come and pick them up. Tula loved it. She loved being the center of attention for the day. She loved making her own cupcakes that morning, decorating them with icing and sprinkles that afternoon, and eating them that night. She grinned ear to ear when we sang her Happy Birthday. This year, Tula loved everything about having a birthday party, and that made it that much more fun for us to celebrate her!
Two weeks later, while in CT with Daddy, Tula got one more cake and birthday celebration with her family there. This time, her and Maverick each had their own cake and some gifts to open, but I think even though she had to share the party with her brother, she enjoyed a little more attention over the fact that it was her birthday and she was being celebrated once again. So, three birthday parties for our three year old girl. Tula, you are a very lucky little lady. And loved by many, many people.
My Tula Belle. At three years old you have turned into a little person. You are able to communicate so clearly with me now that it sometimes scares me. You remind me daily that you are now my little sponge, soaking up everything I say and do and reflecting it back to me in the way you play with your toys, your brother, your friends. So of the things you come up with you are angry with Mav crack me up, because I know you heard them from me. You will tell him "you have had enough" or use one of my phrases that I would use with you if I was stressed out or overwhelmed. But you also have picked up on the good too, I will hear you playing with him and speaking words of encouragement to him, or playing with your Barbies and talking so sweetly with them back and forth with each other, and I love that you have picked up on that stuff too. Hearing you talk like that reminds me of what I am doing right with you, and how loving you truly are. It is amazing to see you able to express your thoughts so clearly. It is wonderful getting to know who YOU are, your own little person, more and more every day.
It's very belated, but Happy Third Birthday Tula Belle. Mommy and Daddy love you so much!
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