December Birthdays

Before we get too far into 2014, here are a few of the pics from the fun celebrations for the December birthday girls (aka Delaney and me).  The girls and Jonathan surprised me with my cards and gifts the night before our trip and then we had a lovely breakfast the morning of at Einstein's Bagels.  Mixed-berry smoothies and chocolate covered espresso beans were involved.

The two-year-old in the family had an extended family celebration at Joe's Cafe near our hometown.  She requested pancakes and a cake with blue flowers, both of which were granted.  She was delighted to find that an employee there dresses as Santa on Sunday's and she loved hearing his "Ho-Ho-Ho". (Not that she really knows who Santa is--she usually refers to him as the "White Guy" due to his beard, and thinks he's singing our welcome song from school with all of that waving). But a good time was had by all, and Laney is now very happily playing with her new stuffed owl, garden Duplos, unicorn, Ruby Doll, choo-choo, and Little House books.

*And what did we see on the way to the restaurant?  An actual snowy owl!  The big girl dubbed it "God's present to Delaney".  How fitting that she received a stuffed one as a gift!