My baby is four years old!

Today is Holly's birthday - since it fell on a Saturday this year, we had her party on the actual day! She had mentioned a while ago that she wanted a Sleeping Beauty cake - I was feeling ambitious and so I asked her if she would like a castle - she said "yes, a pink one!" - so I was committed!

With working Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, this week has been a busy one - my schedule was:
- Tuesday night - ice the cones for the castle cake
- Wednesday night - make banana muffins and loaf (frosted with pink icing) for her to take to daycare on Thursday
- Thursday night - bake the cake, coat it with a home-made syrup to maintain moisture, and put it in the freezer (a cake making website said it would be easier to work with and crumble less)
- Friday night - have some friends over for dinner - once they headed home (after we played cards for while), put the cake together.

When I first started cutting the pieces and putting it together (my inspiration was a cake website - www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com/castle-cakes.html - 14 pages of castle cakes - and a photo of the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland), it did not look good, and I was a quite worried that Holly would end up with a horrible cake . . . but frosting does wonders! I love this frosting recipe I found - light and fluffy and very tasty (though quite sweet).














I was actually quite impressed with the end result - I can see the Sleeping Beauty Castle, even if no one else can!!! It took me about 1.5 to 2 hours to decorate - including brief periods in the fridge to harden the icing on the "crumb" layer. I used the in between times to chop veggies and fruit for the party. Nearing completion:














Finished product - complete with impromptu flags I decided to add:















We had the party at the Play Palace - in a community skating rink that turns into a bouncy castle/play arena for the summer - we definitely need to come here to meet friends for a playdate!














Cake time at the party - I think she likes it!




















Outside with friends after the party - some of us moms (who were without husbands - Paul had to leave for work) started gabbing while the kids ran around.














We ran out of time at the party, so Holly only opened a couple of presents there and we took the rest to my mom's house where we were having dinner and she opened them all there. A super awesome guitar from Sarah and Charlotte - thank you!



















Holly got a real Belle Princess tutu from Sarah and Danielle - my mom and I got her to put it on and pose for a picture. "Wait Mommy, I need my guitar" - my rock star ballerina!



















Plie . . .



















Yes, my (not so) little princess is now 4 years old!

A Conversation

Scenario: Holly is brushing her teeth (earlier tonight) - she has a Hello Kitty cup holder with a matching cup. She has recently moved the spot where the holder sat so it's next to the sink - this makes it easier to reach when she goes to brush her teeth by herself. Because I'm helping her, and she's sitting on the counter, I move it back to the original spot so she can reach it . . .

Ensuing conversation:

Holly: "No, Mommy, you just leave Hello Kitty over there."

Mommy: "Well, I thought it might be easier for you to reach the cup and then when you're done, we can move it back over to the other spot."

Holly: "Just leave the CUP here, and put Hello Kitty back over there."

Mommy: "You're quite the Bossy Pants aren't you? Mommy was kind of bossy when I was a little girl, too, so I guess that's why you're kind of bossy." (We call her Miss Bossy-Pants sometimes as a nickname - doesn't help that she's the only little one in my family with 25 adults!)

Holly: "Well, I guess when you stopped wearing the Bossy Pants, you gave them to me!"

I had to laugh . . . she's absolutely right!

Heritage Home Tour

After living in New Westminster for 7 years, we finally made it to the Heritage Home Tour! Usually, we are racing in our club's outrigger race, but this year it was on a different weekend from the tour. Unfortunately, Paul had to work, but that meant my mom got to have his ticket instead! We had a great time seeing all the different homes and enjoyed our tea at the Justice Institute as well. We didn't get to all the homes on the tour - it would definitely take the entire day (the Tour lasts from 10am-5pm).

It was a gorgeous (hot) day - unusual for May! It was actually a bit too hot for all the walking we had to do, but it was probably better than traipsing around in the rain . . .

Holly in the backyard of one of the first houses we saw - with a cute little pond and waterfall feature.



















After I took a picture of her, Holly decided she had to take one of me and my mom.

Cheeeeese!

Silly face

Dad's been away on a course (for work) and doing a project for work at the same time, so we haven't seen too much of him lately. The last full day off he had in about a month was last week on Victoria Day when we went to Playland.

We took this picture so Dad could see how cute Holly was today in her Hello Kitty top and capri pants. Notice her pointed ballet toes . . .



















Then Holly insisted on another photo - "take one of me making a silly face"!

Another party

Today we went to a birthday party at Maple Ridge Park - we had never been here before, and had a lot of fun - it's a great park! I tried to get a photo of the twins, Will & Jack (the birthday boys), but they were running around - and I forgot when we sat down for lunch!



















A Baskin-Robbins' pirate ice cream cake - cool!














Holly has started to be very adventuresome when it comes to climbing - last week at Sarah's birthday party, she tried, but couldn't climb up the wall at Koko's. The wall grips here are a bit bigger, and she got up the wall all by herself on the first try - and got mad when I tried to "help" (spot) her!

Playland!

Today we took Daddy to Playland. He didn't get to come with us last year - since it was a long weekend, we went on Monday and it was great! No lines and not many people (I think a lot of people have forgotten it opened on April 25) - we'll have to try and remember next year to come on the same weekend.

One of Holly's favourites from last year . . . driving at KC's Raceway!



















Riding the caboose on the Honeybee Express . . .



















Captain of a Paddle Wheeler, and the only person on the ride at the time!



















Our first of two rides on the Merry-go-Round - because there were no crowds or lines, we (or Holly) went on nearly every ride 2 times.














I love this kids' size drinking fountain - introducing Holly, the lion tamer!



















More rides . . .














The Kettle Mine Coaster - we got to sit up front!
















On the West Coast Wheel - what a great view!














Lifeguard Holly

















I saw the "Whack-a-Mole" game and thought it might be fun for Holly to try. Since we had just been shooting rifles at the Bonanza arcade, which cost $2 for one game or $5 for three, I figured it would be the same price . . . WRONG! We got there, and told Holly we would play, and then found out from the attendant it was $5. Since entry into the park only cost us $13 (I had a pass, and Holly is still free), we figured, why not. I had given the attendant $10 and was waiting for my change when she told me you had to play against someone because every round had a winner. Since we were the only ones there, we had to have 2 players - we're up to $10! Paul decided to go it alone and I helped Holly - first one to 150 points wins the game . . . and we beat Daddy! Holly got to pick either an orange or white tiger and this is the one she got. She promptly named it "Lollipop", but sometime during the day its name got changed to "Diamondee" (don't ask me how she comes up with these names - did I mention her "friends" Sanumnumtay, Lou, Merica, Palayla, Falashee, Palista, Famoomay, Morgan, Audereen, and Kamana?!).



















Back on the train - this time in the engine . . .

































Daddy went on the Hellevator . . .