Schreiber Girls: The Big 03!

Madeleine blowing out her candles (she "designed" her own cake).

Emily tackling her candles (she also "designed" her cake)

Emily on the left and Madeleine on the right.

After much anticipation, on their part, Madeleine and Emily turned three last week! This event was so significant we had a "cross-off sheet" for 22 days (when something significant is going to happen - grandparent visit, Christmas, etc. - we cross the days off on a sheet of paper that is continuously taped to the kitchen wall...we usually start with about a week before the event) and are still singing Happy Birthday to each other (and ourselves) in the car on a fairly routine basis.

Till and I opted not to have a big party and just have a "special day". At 6:12 AM I was awakened by one of them saying, rather enthusiastically, "This day is Mama and Memy's birday!!" which was promptly followed by two little voices singing Happy Birthday. A rather cute and humorous way to start the day. (The night before I gave Emily a hug after her bath and told her that was the last time two year old Emily would hug me, but was reassured by "That's okay, three year old Emily will hug you Mommy.")

The girls started their day by receiving "birthday outfits", complete with new underwear and socks. I wonder at what point underwear and socks lose their appeal and are no longer something to be looked forward to. Madeleine and Emily also received large, and oh-so-subtle ribbons that labeled each girl a "Birthday Girl" to wear for the day. When they came out of their room they found their door decorated and balloons for each girl. For a video of the Emily and Madeleine taking their balloons downstairs for breakfast, click here. Madeleine is the first one down the stairs and I wish I could have gotten the camera to cooperate about 10 seconds earlier - such is life.

Following breakfast, we talked to Oma and Opa on the computer and opened the presents that had been sent from Germany. Then we went to school. In the car on the way to school Emily announced she wanted to have the birthday alone, so she could have "this day and Madeleine can have a later day. How about that Madeleine?" Madeleine was not enthused. After school Emily and Madeleine came home and announced their expectation of another gift - caving to pressure, Mom and Dad gave them new swimsuits and the family ate lunch. After nap time we went to dinner at Ruby Tuesday (any event in any restaurant is a very big deal in our world) where Madeleine mentioned "that man is really nice" in reference to the waiter. After we got home our neighbors, Maureen and Leisa, came over for cake and presents. For a video of our stellar singing, click here, again, I wish the camera had started earlier and apparently I need to carry around studio lights as this video is very dark. My favorite part is Miss Emily picking frosting off of her cake around 20 seconds - for which she received high fives from Leisa. After Leisa and Maureen went home Emily and Madeleine opened their Spokane presents while talking on the computer with Mama and Bapa (they also got to talk on the phone with Aunt Liz), bathtime and bedtime followed and two very tired three year olds went to sleep.

While they loved their birthday and want next year's to come immediately (there was actually a request for a cross-off sheet for next year's birthday - the request was vetoed), Emily and Madeleine had even more fun the following day when they could actually play with their airplanes (we drew a chalk airport on the driveway), read their books, make crafts and play Memory and Hi Ho Cherry O (I was amazed at how quickly the girls grasped the objective - be the first to fill your bucket with cherries from your tree - and learned to cheat. For example, when you spin the spinner if you land on a bird or dog you have to put two cherries back...nope - you just spin again! And, you keep spinning until you land on the number 4 - the highest possible number of cherries that can be removed from a tree at one time!) The morning following their birthday, the birthday tablecloths and hats were on the table, Emily put her hat on and both girls demanded cake for breakfast. When I said that perhaps that wasn't the best idea I was informed, "Mommy, that's why I have on my birday hat." - oh, okay then.

Emily on the left and Madeleine on the right - figuring out which girl gets which set of balloons (their dresser is in the hall because I had to remove it from their room - again - the previous Friday during naptime....I just consider furniture moving the strength training compliment to my treadmill time!)