MJ's Birthday Week

Mallory turned THREE on Saturday!
Its been a whole week of celebrations for the birthday girl.

Last Sunday we met up with the Mescher clan at Machine Shed for brunch. Mallory is another Glafcke bacon-eclair-and-pineapple-lover and got her fill. In the afternoon the girls strapped on their new snowshoes and tromped around the backyard. I pulled Mallory in the tobaggan up the big hill in the park and we flew down together. The snow was fluffy and fine and the sun was shining. The girls stayed out until the sun set.

Monday we finally took down the Christmas tree and put away the Nativity. Mallory said she was thankful for our beautiful Christmas tree one night at dinner and I kept delaying taking it down.

Tuesday morning we went to mass at school to hear Jo as the song leader and gave special hugs to Coryn. After mass Mallory pointed to the saint in the stained glass window closest to our pew and asked, "Who is that?" The woman was holding the Eucharist and standing on a sword. We asked our deacon and priest, but they were stumped. I googled it and came up with St. Barbara, the patron saint of miners and artillerymen.

Wednesday Little Gram came for lunch and took Mallory back to her house for a special birthday sleepover. They cut out sugar cookies and decorated them with frosting and sprinkles.

Thursday she had the whole day with Little Gram and Pop Pop TG - sledding and playing and napping. They all came here for a birthday dinner that night. After spaghetti and meatballs, Mallory opened birthday cards and presents. Uncle Marc and Aunt Anne sent three new Mo Willems Pigeon books. She asked me to read them to her six times each before bed.

Friday Mallory helped me make banana muffins for the Family Game Night at school. While Gloria was napping, Mallory chatted and giggled with her friend Sophia on the phone about sledding and hot chocolate. After dinner all six of us went to school. Along with 30 other students in tie dye shirts and shaking blue and gold poms, Jo and Coryn did a cheer routine in the gym. Mallory wanted to get as close as possible to the action and wasn't content to sit on the bleachers until she was nestled between her favorite friends - the middle school girls who dote on her. After the cheer routine we went into the cafeteria for snacks and game playing.

Saturday morning Matt made waffles for the birthday girl. Mallory poked 3 candles in a banana muffin made by Mallory's friend Mrs. Boho and we sang Happy Birthday to her before she blew them out. That happened before we had a SD card in the camera. Then we all gathered around the computer to watch a birthday video that Auntie Leah and Uncle Omar made for Mallory. Mallory was totally mesmerized by the video and wanted to keep watching it over and over. (She dictated a letter to Auntie Leah last week asking her to come. The video was as close as she could get to being here for Mallory's birthday.) We loaded everyone into Debbie Dodge with overnight bags and drove to Grammy BB and Pop Pop TM's house. The 4 girls were spending two nights with them while Mom and Dad got to enjoy time together just as a couple.

And on Sunday Grammy and Pop Pop had one last birthday celebration - pink cake and Happy Birthday singing with her sisters, Auntie Brittany, Uncle Adam and Great Grandma Jo. Special thanks to Auntie Brittany for recording and sharing her video.