big girl

Although Charlotte wanted to be four (her favorite number) for the longest time before her third birthday, she's been loving to be three - often exclaiming "I can do this... I'm a big girl now, I am 3!!!"

And big girls know what they want: For her third birthday, Charlotte requested a "chocolate-vanilla cake that is brown and pink!"
... Mama complied:

 

With the assistance of a cute little helper: 

This year, Charlotte was for the first time really excited about her birthday - talking about it in advance, always asking when her birthday would be coming up when celebrating others'. She couldn't wait for birthday morning to come, so that she could head downstairs and sing, blow out candles and open presents.

 

Being a little brother is also great when big sister celebrates: you get to eat birthday muffins way before you have your own birthday!

Penny actually did turn four and celebrated with birthday muffins too,
of course ;-) 

 The friends at Kindergarten couldn't wait either to celebrate - and dig into that cake!