Elena turned 3

Elena turned 3 on July 15th. I can't believe my little girl is 3 years old! She seems so big to me now. 

We had her party at Chuck E. Cheese since there are still a few things we want to finish in the house to make it better for entertaining a group of people. I'm really looking forward to having small birthday parties at home, and I'm hoping that we'll be able to have Samuel's birthday party here. But Elena had a blast at Chuck E. Cheese.

I went in the ticket blaster with her to catch some tickets.

 

She exchanged her tickets for a necklace and a purse.

She had fun on the rides. 

She got a crown for being the birthday girl. Samuel was amused by it.

 

I had only been to the Chuck E. Cheese in Santa Maria, and the last time I was there was over a decade ago, so it was different than I remember it. But we had fun. It was loud and a little chaotic. Still managed to nurse Samuel, though.

 Elena kept waiting for the robot characters in the front to perform; they stalled for a long time.

She made a wish.

 

And she only eats the icing; she has no interest in the actual cake. 

 

 

She had fun dancing.

 

She was the birthday girl. Then two days later was her actual birthday, so we celebrated again.

We went out to eat and the server brought her a muffin with a candle.

 

 

She was excited about this little car we got her. She's wanted one for a long time, and she loved going to Buy Buy Baby because she could play with the one they keep out.

 

I also got this little squirrel game for her, and I was excited to find a game for kids as little as 3. She really likes it, and it's fun to play together.

 

 

 

She also got some Mickey Mouse Clubhouse books from Jorge's uncle Gustavo that read out loud to her. There's a gadget that came with them and she pushes the button with symbol that matches one on the page, and it reads it. She's been reading those books constantly.

I can't believe this little thing is 3. 

She's creative.

 

And talkative

And caring

She likes to get some baby treatment every once in a while.

And she still looks so angelic when she sleeps.

So strange to think about when I first met her.

Right after her birthday passed we stopped giving her the pacifier. She was only getting it when she napped and went to bed, but she loved the thing dearly, and she still misses it. When she's getting ready for sleep and she has her blanket I look at her and wonder what's missing, and then I realize it's her pacifier. But it was time, and I never thought she would even have it that long.

She's one special little girl.