Four

Dolly celebrated her fourth birthday yesterday. She is such a joy to our family.

We had promised her that we'd celebrate her birthday in the new house...and we made it happen!

Preparations for her big day included decorating some paper to wrap her gift in.  The kids spent hours coloring, and had a ball.  I need to pick up some more paper roll remnants from the printing company.

During the morning we made her birthday cake, and that afternoon we decorated it while Dolly went on a lunch date with her dad.  She asked to go to McDonald's, and was surprised with a rare treat, a happy meal.

She wanted a chocolate cake with pink icing.  I loosely followed this recipe for a doctored up cake mix (sans the coffee) I wanted to add a special filling, and found this recipe for caramel frosting.  {so yummy!} Bis Sister helped me make the frosting rosettes on the cake.  We just piped swirls with a star tip.

All day Dolly kept insisting that she wasn't really four until she blew out her candles.

So, right after dinner we sang happy birthday, and she became officially four.

Next came presents.

All she wanted for her birthday was a mama cat for her little stuffed kitten, Snowflake, (pictured above).  Wish granted.

For months, I'd had in my head an idea to make a boxy messenger bag for dolly to carry around her pets or babies as the mood strikes her.  Saturday I was finally able to get out a few sewing things and finish up a project I'd started in December.

Happy birthday to our loving, spunky girl.  Your favorite colors are pink and purple, you love everything girly, and have a wonderful imagination.  You take such good care of your growing family of dolls and stuffed animals.  I love that you want to help wherever I am, whether it's washing dishes, making dinner, or ironing the clothes.  You pepper your family with hugs and kisses, which can be a little overwhelming sometimes.  I can't imagine life without you, sweet one.

Here's Dolly at Two and Three.