it's a dora party!

To say that my daughter (and son) "like" dora the explorer and go diego go...which just simply be the biggest understatement I can think of. There was no question what kind of party KJ wanted to have this year, and so we had the best dora party you have ever seen! She even had a balloon that if you hit just right would sing "Feliz Cumpleanos" over and over. (I did not pop that balloon on purpose!) he he. Four years. Wow. Four scary, wonderful, life-changing, growing years...and I'm not just talking about Katie. Being a mother is the single most important thing to me. Katie, I hope you had a wonderful birthday party.

matt, alyssa (her FAVORITE and only babysitter), me trying to wrestle her down to put a barette in her hair...my mom and carter and her cousins all getting ready for the party to begin

i hope that katie and carter are always as close as the three of us.
(oh yeah, and I badly need a tan in this picture)

KJ's absolute favorite present...I can attest because I've played it with her a bazillion times...

KJ got new jewlery :)

she wasn't quite sure what to think at first, she kept wanting me to wear it, but she put it away in her special drawer that has another necklace she has received. I think it's having something around her neck that's making her weird about it.

the wrapping paper is even Dora!

don't worry....Carter didn't get left out. He got brand new Thomas the Train stickers and lots of love from cousins and grandmas

the "dora" cake complete with boots and swiper the fox.

there really were four candles you just can't see the fourth one..

Matthew, and Katie's cousin Brady were eager to get in on the action. I let KJ think long and hard about her wish...

....and with her dora cell phone in hand I can only imagine what was going through her mind :)

Happy Birthday Katie Jade. May you always know how much you are loved, how much you were wanted, and what a miracle you are daily. In the past year you have grown so much Mommy can hardly keep track of it all. (Maybe that should be new post...). I love you so much.