Emmie is THREE!

She went ahead and did it. She callously ignored my pleas to stay little and started growing up. We spent her third birthday doing just as she wished and had so much fun celebrating our sweet, sassy, silly girl. Here's our day in pictures!

First things first. Wake up at the crack of dawn and open some presents! She really wanted Snow White and Sleeping Beauty on DVD and was really excited to get them.

Emily loves the toddler First Look and Find books and has already read her new Princess one eleventy-billion times!

Next up, dine on chocolate sprinkled doughnuts. The breakfast of champions;)

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After shopping spree with Mimi, we headed out to Santa Cruz for some beach time and fun on the Boardwalk.

We played some arcade games...

....invented a new version on Dance, Dance Revolution....

Then headed to the beach!

I got to play with Callie on the towels

and Dan braved the crashing waves with two preschoolers:)
They were all soaked within 10 minutes.

In the past, Emily hasn't liked the water as much as Ben. She loved it today, though!

The three of them had a blast getting chased by the waves and splashing around.

Callie loved her first beach visit, too!

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After coming home from the beach, we headed out to dinner at Emmie's choice, Red Robin. I forgot the camera at home and they didn't sing to her(per her request) so you're not missing much;) Just picture two frazzled parents cutting, wiping, mopping and picking things up while two preschoolers try by any measure possible to get under the table and out of their seats while a baby plays "Oopsie-Daisy" with every.single.thing. you hand to her and simultaneously tries to grab everything off your plate. Fun!

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After dinner, we came home and opened the rest of her presents and enjoyed some Sleeping Beauty cake while dressed as Sleeping Beauty.

Not our exact cake, but just like this!

Emily really wanted an Aurora dress for her birthday. Being the mean parents we are, we talked about the dress all day and told her maybe she'd get it for Christmas. When she opened it, she said, "Now I have one!! I don't have to wait for Santa now!" :)

You'd think the beautiful, pink dress would be the favorite gift but it wasn't. The very best gift she got? A $6 accessory set I bought at TJ Maxx because it came with her very own earrings(ear-ins as she calls them!).

The girl had a completely wonderful birthday but was very ready for bed once it was over!