We celebrated Sophie's birthday with our families over the weekend.  Just a small gathering, but always fun to be together.  I haven't been very good lately at capturing entire events with my camera.  I realized as I was downloading these pictures that I didn't get a single one that included GrandmaLou.  I'll have to take extras the next time.

We were lucky to have my Grandma (Grandma Muder to my kids) join us for lunch.  Sophie started out the visit by sitting next to her and showing her our special party napkins, each tied with a box of raisins - Sophie's special birthday request.


She also requested two other things for her birthday menu - steak and rice.  She's pretty easy to oblige that way.  I also made a big batch of creamed corn thinking she'd love it.  Instead, she said that she didn't like corn and wouldn't eat any.  Corn?  Who doesn't like corn?  Hard to believe she's my child.


My dad, he's such a trickster.  I should have known better than to let he and Martin sit next to each other.  First, dad tried to get him to smash a blueberry on his head.  "Think, Martin," I said.  "Do you think this could be a trick?"  Sophie, ever the rule-follower, answered for him, "We don't smash fruit on our heads."  And even though you could read his face and know that he understood, the urge to do it anyway overwhelmed him and he smacked his head with the blueberry.  But lightly, so I guess that was his internal compromise.


Still on a cupcake kick, I made a batch of Chocolate Cherry Creme Cupcakes, which were both tall and delicious.  As I turned away from the coffee pot and made my way to grab the tray of cupcakes, this is what I saw.

It's a frightening sight, a four year old with a tray of carefully assembled desserts.  Makes you think of that baker on Sesame Street who always fell down the stairs with a big tray of cream pies, doesn't it?  Martin made it to the table, we sang happy birthday, and my grown up girl blew out her candle.


Apparently three is the new thirteen, because Sophie only ate the top off of her cupcake and then decided to just have a cup of decaf instead.


Not completely satisfied with the blueberry results from earlier, dad spotted another opportunity and tried to get Martin to smash his cupcake on his face. 

I think that Martin would have gladly obliged, but he loved the cupcake too much to waste a single bit of it.  Still not satisfied, dad turned his efforts to GrandmaLou, cheering her on until she smashed her cupcake into her own face.  Now why didn't I get a picture of that?

We had a great meal and a good time visiting together.  Sophie loved having another party just for her, and Martin loved it too because it signaled the end of Sophie's birthday and the countdown to his own.