Elizabeth's 31st Birthday!

Caroline painted for the 1st time. She kept touching the marker tips and then putting them in her mouth. Then she would just bang the marker on the table so that it was just one big blob. I hope she takes after her daddy’s creativity and not her mama’s, which is none.

Before Patrick and I went out to
dinner we went to the church

to let her play on the playground.

She really likes to swing, and try to

go up the slide. Not so much go down

the slide!

A beautiful family photo! Ha Notice how C is signing “down”.

Her aunt, uncle and cousins had just gotten there and she did not want to be held for a picture. I wondered how Patrick talked my sister into babysitting Caroline, much less at our house. If you know Lori, you know she RARELY crosses the river! It wouldn’t take long for me to find out…

Patrick and I had a delicious meal at Cajun’s Wharf (thanks to my boss for the gift card!) which even included a free birthday dessert: chocolate crème brulee. Yum!!! Patrick had told me that we were going to see a show at 8 o’clock. At this time it was about 7:20, I think. Whenever I started to call the house to see how Caroline was doing and what she had to eat for supper, Patrick told me that we had time to go by the house and I could just check on her then instead of calling. I thought: good idea, plus that way we can drop off the leftovers in the fridge.

When we got home I slowly opened the door b/c C is notorious for standing right in front the door, and I had even hit her with it earlier that day not knowing that she would be there. But when I walked in there were TONS of people there yelling "SURPRISE"! I couldn’t believe it! I got all choked up, but tried not to get too emotional about the whole thing :) I have never had a surprise party before, and I was completely overwhelmed. I can’t tell you how loved and how special I felt seeing all those people there, for me! Well, I guess for me and the food. When I realized that my mom, sis, and BFF (hee hee!) Sarah had cooked all this food, I was just blown away.

Patrick had thought of everything: the big cookie cake that I had hinted at a while back, the invitations, balloons, food, ice cream (even strawberry-my favorite!), the sign the draftsman at my work had made, etc. I felt bad that I was complaining to Sarah just the other day how he didn’t pick up on hints! Ha He did such a good job, and I was so proud of him!

Thanks to everyone who came. I know Caroline sure had fun, and Reagan, too! I think Caroline was proud her new bedroom and showed it off to just about anyone she could!

Here are some pictures: The only time Caroline let me hold her. She was on the go the whole time!

Notice how I'm wearing Caroline's "I'm one" b-day hat. All I needed was a 3 in front of it!

The guys talking politics:
My college friends: Jessica (had a baby 4 weeks ago, I know. It doesn't look possible but I have met the baby.), Eva (had a baby 10 days before Caroline and is expecting a girl in June), and Sarah (has a husband).

Caroline and her best friend Reagan.