Riley is THREE (so give the girl three opportunities to blow out candles!)

The week before Riley's birthday, we hosted our Wednesday morning playgroup.  I made some cupcakes to decorate in pink flowers since she loves pink and flowers.  Even though it wasn't a party, I decided to keep all the snacks pink and red - pink lady apples, raspberries, strawberries, red grapes, red pepper and red pepper hummus, and raspberry bread (will be in the next recipe post I do - I promise!).

I decorated two like this for the kids after dinner (I didn't have the same color of little flowers and roses, but I had seen the idea on Pinterest and wanted to see what it looked like all together.  I'd love to try it again in different ombre shades and colors).  Yes, Riley got a second cupcake that day!  But it would have been so sad for Leighton not to get one of the pink creations after knowing they were being made.

The day before Riley's birthday, she mentioned a few times something about going to her birthday place the next day.  I didn't put it together until right at bedtime when she was upset when I said we'd go to the Y in the morning and she told me she didn't want to because she wanted to go to her birthday place.  The girl was expecting a birthday party.  Oh, no!  When Leighton was 3, he attended lots of friends' parties but never mentioned one of his own.  We assumed Riley would be the same.  Um, not so much.  When, you ask, will I learn she is NOT her brother?!?!  Anyway, I scrambled and emailed all our friends to try to arrange a last minute play date at the playground (finally!  playground weather again!  well, almost).  Luckily there was a good group that were able to make it on short notice so I whipped up a few dozen cupcakes and we went after getting Leighton from school.   Thanks to everyone who came out and I am sorry to those of you who already had plans after I didn't get to this plan until too late.

Her new, pink Left My Heart in NYC shirt :)

The way these two kept looking at each other was adorable.

After the playground, we went home to have a quick dinner, cake, and gift opening.  We invited Lindsey and Charlie and the kids to try and make another exciting birthday event for Riley so that she didn't feel at all like we weren't throwing her any sort of party.  Mommy guilt!

pink + purple + yellow + butterflies + ruffles = happy Riley

PINK SPARKLY SHOES!!

Leighton hid in his room wrapping this all by himself.

Leighton's card for Riley with a very funny family joke!  UNDERPANTS!

Do they look like siblings, or what?!?!