Happy Birthday Sweet Charlotte!

My Baby Love turned 4 and I got to spend the day with her.

We woke up and I served us breakfast in bed,

while watching her favorite cartoon, Olivia.

Then we had a special bath, that Lily had alone the night before.

I had set up candles, turned the lights down, played music

and let Lily enjoy my big spa bath alone.

Naturally, at the time, Charlotte wanted the same,

and I promised she could have it.

Except when the time came, she really didn't want to be alone.

So I joined her, and we left the lights on, lit candles

and played with Mermaid Barbies in bubbles.

Then we were off to find a big girl bed.

The first stop was a disgusting clearance room at a low end furniture store

(imagine, stains on the carpet, creepy sales folks,

and cords we had to trip over to get the the clearance section)

Charlotte was too scared to enter the clearance section.

So I did a quick search with her on my hip,

and found nothing of interest.

We took a break to regroup and had lunch at Culver's.

Then we went to the mattress store familiar to us.

We were welcomed by an elderly salesman named Bill.

Bill is also a Grandpa.

He treated us with kindness.

Bill shared his stories, and listened to ours.

He gave us their best Memorial Day sale and

promised delivery the next day.

Before we left, he blew up 3 helium balloons for my girl to take with her on the way out.

This meant the world to me,
since we are not throwing any sort of
formal birthday party for Charlotte.

But a birthday deserves balloons.

I was unable to provide,
 and Bill, who I just met, stepped up to the plate.
(the village is bigger than I knew)

We we returned from our shopping...

  Nanna had arrived.

 So we had ourselves a little party. 

Spaghetti and cookies for dinner,
by Charlotte's request.

I took an impromptu birthday interview

(straight up because I don't know how to edit yet)

We are not done celebrating. 

We have more celebrations this weekend.

The Big Girl bed arrived today,

and Charlotte took her first nap in it.

This means, we took down the crib.

Darin had a moment,

not a BIG moment, but just a little refelction,

that our baby is growing up

and the crib is out of her room.

And me?

"its the end of the world as we know it...and I feel FINE!"

I am as shocked as you, at my lack of emotion and contentment.

p.s. I am keeping the pack 'n play just in case some other babies find their way to us, for a day, a weekend, or a lifetime.