Finally 4!

and finally pictures from Emily's birthday celebration(s)...

Cake and ice cream on February 3.... just like last year, it was one of the coldest, terrible travel days of the year! Still, Busia, Dziadzia, Nana, Pa, Busia Rezler, Josh, Aunty Judi and even Aunt Jennifer and Phil braved the weather and Emily had a wonderful party!

Emily and Zachary before the party started...
Emily w/one of the other February birthday celebrants....
Zachhary and Aunt Jennifer... he gets those blue eyes from his aunt!
Finally time for cake!! Last year, Emily was asked, (and momma was told,) that she would like a pink cake. Well, momma wanted an old fashioned chocolate cake... so Emily wasn't asked this year. (It's still momma's celebration too after all.) We did add some pink decorations though...
And then time for the presents. We're trying to teach Emily not to expect gifts from people... that was good for the weeks leading up to her party. Until it was actually time, and she had quite a pile to open! She kept saying "they must love me since they brought presents"...yes baby, they all love you, even w/o presents!

Emily's first of the day... a bracelet that momma made... Here she's w/ her Dora book...
and w/ here new princess bathrobe...
She got a phonics writer to help learn to read and write... and she got right to work on it!
and she was quick to model her new princess dress and matching Barbie...
Zach was super great the whole day; didn't care that none of the presents were for him. Oddly enough, earlier that day Busia asked if he ever says "mine." No. I can't recall.... however, Sunday... the very next day, "mine" came out of his mouth every other word. I suppose Emily had her day, and now it was time to share...

one more photo w/ Daddy, Emily and Zachary....
A few days later, there was another birthday celebration. Emily wanted vanilla cupcakes w/ vanilla frosting to take to daycare. Then there was pizza and jello for dinner.... couldn't be any easier! (especially since momma was already happy to have had her chocolate cake!)Oh, and of course there were a couple more presents... she loved her pretend make-up/hair dryer and curling iron...and very own princess sleeping bag... (that Zachary also particularly likes!!)