Adelaide's 3rd birthday!

So sorry that this blog has been abandoned.. Sorry to myself first and then to others, who have told me that they enjoyed it. Actually I've wanted to return to it once again, because I miss posting here. (I have also some thoughts that I might starts writing here, but in Estonian, as maybe my main target audience would be in Estonia (to write about our Montessori homeschooling journey etc). We'll see.. Either way, Adelaide has turned 3 (!!!) years old! And that deserves a post. :)

Her birthday was on Friday, but we started celebrating a bit a day before already.. We usually have our Montessori playmornings on Thursdays, so I thought we're gonna have it as usual and mark Adelaide's birthday as well, just a bit. (I made cake.) But somehow it turned out to be more of a birthday party than I expected. We had a few friends over (6 children all together, including Adelaide and Jasmiina, ages 1 to 3 years), and it was an overwhelming buzz (quite different from our usual playmornings), but I really really enjoyed it! It was so nice to spend this time with friends, so happy to have friends! Both for Adelaide and myself.. Life really has taken a turn here. (Some not so long time ago I couldn't say I had many friends in Estonia. Not so easy to get them when you're in a new country.) 

But we had the official party on her actual birthday. A few people couldn't make it, so it basically was just family (Mr. Husband's family for the most part), including Adelaide's cousins, and also our very nice neighbors came. I thought it will be calm and easy.. But well, not so calm and easy with so big family. :) A bit of a running around on my part, but what matters is that Adelaide really enjoyed it. She had an amazing party! It's so cool to watch - she has grown up so much, now she understands everything totally consciously. We were talking about her birthday already a couple of weeks before. She was anticipating it. We talked what guests we're inviting, we planned the menu together (she literally chose the menu. It's always difficult to decide, so I went with it, when she said she wanted chicken (she loves chicken on the bone, so we made chicken wings), she wanted salad with capers (her favorite food, she could eat the whole jar!), olives and cheese, of course, and focaccia..  And strawberry cake. :) 

When I asked her what does she want to do with her guests, she answered: eat! And then: read books! :) She's a total book lover, it's her favorite thing to do. So during the party, as she was tired from celebrating, she just came inside to her books. And she was so happy to read with someone. (Again and again - if you want to connect with this girl, read with her!) 

She got really cool gifts (after my suggestions, but it looked like I got it right. And thank God!.. We have so nice family, who actually bring amazing gifts - either something that I've told we'd like, or if they choose themselves, then it's totally in line with what we use). For example, a few new plants for their playroom, a truck for sandbox (because I realized we don't have any single one like that, and yes, even Montessori-families can have plastic truck in the sandbox, at least one :D ), also a football (she lately has finally started liking kicking the ball), a frisbee (same thing), a new book, a new CD, a new puzzle.. Sorry if I'm forgetting something, but she loves all of the gifts and was very nice and thankful about them (as for the beautiful flowers and cards). I gave her a little spontaneous gift - the little pink hair piece. We were in the shop the day before, and she noticed those as we were looking for something else. She really loved them.. We didn't buy it then (because we usually wouldn't), but then I thought it would make her happy.
And.. Of course, the mud kitchen and the outdoor climbing thing. :) This is a gift to her from us, my idea and sketch, and Mr. Husband's amazing work. I really wanted for them to have something like that - both for being able to comfortably use water outside as they like and to also have a place where to store their outside tools (like gardening tools and also sandbox toys). I didn't even ask for running water, because they can access the hose and could fill the bowl. But well, Mr. Husband obviously thought it was necessary for them to have a sink with actually running water. :D And it is so much more cool! All the children love it. We don't need any party games or attractions, because these are pretty neat already.

So, long story short, here are 100 pictures of our birthday girl. :) Happy birthday, Adelaide!

We are continuing with the tradition of waking up with balloons..

Going to greet her guests.. :)

It was pretty fun to watch, how much everyone enjoyed our playroom! I wanted to just go and introduce all the works for them, it was like the Montessori magic was working on all of them.. :D Even 5- and 6- year old's (actually a 12 year old too) were in awe.

Of course! The coolest gift ever! On the day before Adelaide sat for her first real painting. :D Sounds almost too unreal, but it's true. Here we say big thank you to her Godparents, who organized it. Now we have a portrait of Adelaide by Anna Litvinova. 

And this little doll, handmade by a friend, oh how they love it!

Reading.. Lots of reading. She got to read with a couple of people.

If there aren't many pictures of Jasmiina, then because she was constantly dirty. We changed 3 different shirts, she obviously was enjoying herself. :) Amazing little sister.

Not an easy task to get a decent family photo.

No-bake strawberry cheesecake that I made was pretty yummy. :) Both children and adults liked it. (I had made two cakes and they were both gone.)

When most of the guests had left.. Adelaide knew exactly what to do. She came in to have some more cake. :)

And here is a video (I've made them now for each year, also about her 1st and 2nd year) - Adelaide's 3rd year. She's grown up so much.