Happy 3rd Birthday Cara!

 Love this girl!  Our precious Cara-boo turned 3 April 10th.  We planned for a cupcake decorating party, but all the kids caught a virus that was going around a few days before her big day so we had to cancel.  I know she was really looking forward to her party, but didn't seem to be too disappointed when we had to cancel.  I guess the most exciting thing was that she still got to decorate her cupcake and have ice cream.

One of our favorite things about Cara right now is her love of laughter.  We have one giggly girl on our hands.  Cara also loves loves books.  She loves looking at them and being read to.  She even sits with her brothers when I'm reading to them from their school books.  Usually she draws or looks at her own books while I read to them, but its fun to see her tagging along with them.  Cara has mastered drawing a smiley face (as seen above).  I use the word mastered, because I have videoed her drawing smiley faces over and over only to come to the final product disappointed and erase the whole thing (on the dry erase board).  This one above was worthy of showing off because she smiled about it!

Cara's favorite color is pink.  I laugh sometimes as I'm folding laundry and her 'pile' is nearly all pink. Cara loves clothes and everything about them.  She loves changing them, helping me wash them, and putting them away.  She especially loves dresses and would wear them every day.  She also changes her shoes throughout the day while we are inside.  Its funny to watch.  

She loves her brothers and especially looks forward to playing with them when they are finished with school work. I look forward to after school as much as the boys, and I think Cara does too.  Her and I have some fun times together.  She often asks to walk to the playground behind the school- right across the field behind our house.  She also likes helping me in the kitchen.

Cara has passed what I think is a pretty major milestone. This is a pic of her going to bed with NO TAGGIE!  I didn't think this day would come so easily, or so soon.  We started talking about giving up her taggie and thumb sucking about a week before her birthday.  She never ever sucks her thumb without the taggie. We also made a big deal about this being the perfect time to stop since she is turning three and is such a big girl.  I remember her and I had a conversation one day about all the girls that we know who are older than her and don't suck their thumbs.  I could tell she was giving it some thought, but not convinced yet.   Then Chris and I talked and decided we'd give her what I thought would be great incentive.  We told her if she quit, we'd let her pick out her own toy at the store (when we headed to Anchorage the following week).  (And thank you Brandy for this great idea). Her response cracked me up, "Well, I guess I'll just take a princess dress instead."  We made a deal, and that was it.  Wonderfully easy.  This cute girl got a dress up princess dress and ditched the thumb sucking.

Sick, but not too sick for decorating cupcakes. Cara picked strawberry cake to celebrate the big day.  She also picked chocolate ice cream from the store.  It turns out she's still not a fan of cake.  She's always eaten only icing, and I keep thinking the next time she has cake, she'll actually eat it.  Nope, well, not so far anyways.  This girl is an icing fan....and ice cream.

Happy birthday Cara-boo.  We love you so much and are so proud of you.