Four Years Old: A Teddy Bear Party

Today we celebrated Maddie's birthday with a trip to Build-A-Bear and a Teddy Bear Picnic. Having Christmas and then three birthdays, four months in a row, can be a little exhausting for the party-planning Mama. Fortunately this year Maddie was up for a small gathering of her best friends.

Some scenes from around the house:

Bear-building snacks (gummy bears and teddy grahams), the girls' table, close-up of the plates, presents wrapped and ready for the big day

Three buddies before the bear-building extravaganza:

Scenes from the workshop:

stuffing "Princess," rubbing the bear's heart on cheeks for smiles, Sam into his snack, rubbing the heart on hearts and making wishes, more cheeks, more wishing

Nicole making wishes, Dada hugging a perfectly stuffed princess, Kate giving Ballerina a bath, Sam at the computer, Nicole and Maddie at the baths, Mel and Kate printing up a birth certificate

Three buddies, post-building:

And the little buddy, who couldn't pass up the opportunity to pose and be cute:

When our bears were assembled and outfits chosen, we headed back to the house for our Teddy Bear Picnic! PB & honey sandwiches, fruit salad, veggies, and a green salad for the grown-ups. (Pretend food for the bears, provided by Maddie).

Sweet Nicole

Adorable Kate

Excited Maddie

Maddie's birthday cake, just as she "pictured it": chocolate and white layers with pink frosting

Make a wish!

Yum yum!

And it wouldn't be a party without an oopsies!

my sweet Sam and his buddy Kelly

A Family Portrait, by Mel

After I was finished snapping pictures, Sam climbed on Daddy's lap signing, "More, more." And he smiled big smiles. Such a love.

Four tired, sugar-zonked cuties

Nicoley

Maddie and her Auntie Jennie

It was a great day! Tonight more friends came over for pizza and cake to celebrate again. Lucky Maddie had a fabulous day, full of fun with friends. An extrovert's day, for sure! Tonight I asked her favorite part of the day, and she said "Going to Build-A-Bear." I asked her favorite toy, and she said "My new leapster."

Tonight, when Ben went to take the dog out at the end of the evening, he noticed Maddie's light on. We peeked in to find her playing a game on the leapster! She said to us, "Is it morning time?!" We laughed and laughed, smiled as she finished "one last letter," spelling the word "like," (what?), and then handed over the game. This was 8:40. Funny girl.