Amanda's Birthday

Our little Manda Manda girl is four today.  Four years old.  She's been talking about this day ever since her big sister turned four 17 months ago, but just last night she told me that she liked being two and did not want to turn four. :)

I find it very difficult to put Amanda down on paper, she's just so special and dynamic.  I'll continue to work on a post for her, but I wanted to make sure her birthday events got documented.  Hey, in this family we watch out for the middle child. {wink}.

Her birthday week celebration began with my side of the family after our Thanksgiving celebration.  She celebrated with a Grammy, an Auntie, a Pop and a Cousin who have birthdays in October, November and December.

For Shaun's side of the family, we celebrated after our Thanksgiving celebration, on Thanksgiving.

I wanted her cake to be a surprise, but both she and Avery had input, which ended up being fun.

Today, her actual birthday, started with some hugs, snuggle time and...popcorn for breakfast.

By request we spent a good part of the day at CEC.  We went early enough that for most of the time the crowds were not bad.  She had an endless supply of tokens and spent a large portion of them riding this horse.

Auntie Sarah was a coin supplier and cheerleader.

Her brother did not quite share her excitement but tolerated it.

She also danced with Chuck E. himself.

Taking a virtual roller coaster ride.

With Jared's help we ended up with nearly 1500 tickets.  That buys a lot of CEC crap prizes.

The boys were racing cars.  Uncle Tony had never in his life been to CEC (I know!) and by the end Sarah had to drag him away from the "car".  He observed Amanda standing close to a boy who was playing, offering him advice as needed.  At one point he said I'm seven...I know what I'm doing!  How old are you??  Amanda proudly offered that she was four. :)

The birthday buddies, just 8 years and 2 days apart.

She's growing up so big, so fast, we desperately wish we could freeze time or at least slow it down.  We will savor this year of her being four as much as we can.  Amanda has been an amazing gift to our family, to this world.  We love you, Baby.