Paloma is THREE!!!

OMG PALOMA! You are so beautiful I can hardly stand it!!!

The morning surprise is a tradition. Decorations and presents waiting on the table. 

This little girl is easy to please...headbands and hand sanitizer "hanitizer" haha

Her hermanos crowded in sat close by just in case she needed help unwrapping.  

They were not impressed by her gifts, but the Peppa Pig jammies and coloring books  made the birthday girl super excited!

Paloma has been climbing out of her crib for months.  It wasn't really a problem though.  Not once did she fall out.  #expertclimber   BUT! We thought it was a good time for a "big girl bed"
 

And why not make it a surprise for her birthday?  I kept envisioning a "while you were out" scenario.  We would switch out the beds while she was at school and she would walk in and see the bed and new bedding and say her infamous line "what the heck?"

We had mentioned a big girl bed before and she liked this idea in theory, but she was not excited AT ALL when she saw it the first time. 

The next day when a guy came to our house pick up the crib (I sold in on FB mkt) she CRIIIIIIED and cried...."don't get rid of my crib mami.  I might need it when I get smaller"  waaaaaaaaaa

Besides her surprise "big girl bed" she scored this PINK balance bike.  And if you are wondering... yes, everything must be pink!

She wasn't this excited at first.  She eventually stopped crying and was excited to get outside and try out her new bike, but the emotions of the new bed spilled over into the driveway.
Upon mounting the new bike, a wave of emotion came over her.

Yes, it was a video, but Im not going to let you watch it.  It's just too sad.

After the sad bit, there was a brief mad stage, (what for???) after which she was happily dancing and smiling.

It's hard turning three. 

For a couple months before her big day, we had been seeing the trailer for the Small Foot movie.  She would say every time "should we go see small foot on my birthday?"
Yes. Yes we should.  It was cute.

After the movie it was time for the long awaited PINK CAKE! "should I have a pink birthday cake?"
I whipped up my go to white cake recipe (with almond extract-so good!) and added a few drops of red food coloring and wa-la! A pink cake! 
Add some classic buttercream frosting and a certain PIG family and I arrived at exactly what this three year old wanted.

So. Happy.

As with all birthdays, the candle must be re-lit many times for the birthday boy/girl to
 actually be the first one to blow out the candle. 

We partied like it was her birthday.

My precious, lipstick wearing beauty!