Caroline's "Lucky Seven" Birthday Party!

We celebrated Caroline's 7th birthday on St. Patrick's Day, which was actually her due date, although she was born four days later.  So we themed it her "Lucky Seven" St. Patrick's Day birthday party!

Here's a sign I made using a Celtic/Irish style font found free online somewhere.

Caroline decorated the table with this St. Patrick craft she'd made. Cecilia made one as well.  

This shamrock sign greeted guests at the door.

We decided to have a whole day of the Irish theme, beginning with...

~Breakfast~

Irish Oatmeal (the maple cream, while far from being Irish, makes this soooo good!)

Shamrock Eggs

Caroline enjoys her special breakfast!

After everyone had arrived...

~Lunch~

Shamrock Punch (just chilled Sierra Mist and lime sherbet)

Cabbage Salad, brought by my mom (she also brought corned beef, but I don't have a photo)

Irish Flag veggie tray

Irish Fruit Salad, in the colors of the flag

and for the adults, Irish Stout

Yummy!

Cecilia eating... we used St. Patrick's Day plates and birthday cups!

Caroline made herself the crown - golden with green accents

~The Cake~

I made, at her request, a mint chocolate cake using a Wilton shamrock cake pan.  The frosting is just whipped cream, so edging the cake in green M&Ms defined the shape better.  I was lucky to have had about half a bag of leftover Christmas M&Ms; otherwise I never would have had enough greens!

~The Guests~

(who I'm sure appreciated being photographed while eating)

My mom and dad

Chris with his dad and mom

My brother Mike and his wife and their baby, Chloe (missing the elusive Julianne; maybe that's who Mike is looking at!)

See how everyone wore green?

Lucy was in attendance, of course, even in a green carrier at times.

Here's Caroline about to blow out the candles!

She wanted the seven candles to be stuck on top of the number 7 at the bottom of the cake.

Here's Julianne, still for the few minutes it takes to have a little cake!  She was a few days away from turning two here - her birthday is the day after Caroline's.

~The Gifts~

We gave Caroline a little pair of purple glasses for her doll.

We also gave her a nightgown, which she'd been wanting.  I found a handmade one that is a pioneer style... she's into Little House on the Prairie!

Cecilia wearing some ribbons

Caroline received many other nice gifts from her extended family.  Thank you!

Lucy with a bit of sticky-uppy hair

Her onesie says "Made in America with Irish Parts."  I like it because she can continue to wear it all spring/summer because it's not just for St. Patrick's Day!

And what would an Irish party be without a good old-fashioned brawl?

Those red-headed Irish babies can get pretty violent when they've been drinking too much! ;)

(of course, you know I did not let my baby drink beer.  exclusive breastfeeding, virgin gut and so forth)

Happy St. Patrick's Day, and Happy Birthday, Caroline!!!

A bit late... next goal, Easter photos!

Cecilia's 4th Birthday!

We celebrated this in January, a few days before her actual birthday, and I am finally blogging about it... trying to play catch up here.  Maybe I'll post photos from Caroline's birthday party before May!  First, we went out for a birthday lunch after Caroline's ballet recital (yes, we did them both the same day; I thought it might be easier if family wanted to attend both so they could make it all one trip).  Cecilia picked Mellow Mushroom of the two pizza places downtown.  Here she is wearing her crown in the restaurant.

Then it was back to the house to celebrate with cake and presents!  I think maybe we did presents first though... Picasa is jumbling my photos into random order when they upload for some reason.  Anyway, she'd requested a chocolate cat cake with white fur.  I was glad for that relatively easy request!

Cecilia's cousin Julianne brought a baby doll to the table to watch the candle-blowing.

There were lots of cute photos of her with the cake, so I've posted them all. :)

And here is the cake itself.

Cecilia decorated her birthday crown herself.

Oh, here's a few more cute ones...

Cecilia opens a present from Gran and Grandad... it was an animal shape activity, like tangrams on different animal bodies.

Cecilia opens gifts from Gramma and Grampa: doll clothes.

Here's a gift from Mommy and Daddy: a set of toy treats for the play kitchen.  I scored this on clearance for a few bucks at Pier 1 because it was missing one of the treats... shh, the kids just think it was supposed to come with eleven!

We also gave her a wooden word puzzle, and Uncle Mike and Aunt Crystal and her cousins brought her an Aquadoodle.

Cecilia, you are already four!  And what a precious, funny, sweet, and patient four year old you are!

Gramma with her fourth and fifth granddaughters (fourth on the right, fifth on the left)

Both with that reddish hair... can you tell which one's mine? ;)

Chloe seems excited about the present-opening!

Gratuitous cute baby photo of Lucy from January

And a cute one with Caroline