the essential zickgraf: Happy 3rd Birthday Alexandwi Zickgwaf!

I'll admit, I still think this one's my baby. She's so cute and small and monkey-like and cuddly and sweet and feisty and just... Xandri (by the way, that's how she pronounces her name in the title-- she corrects me if I call her Alexandri-A). I love this little girl, she is seriously so fun.

She had a pretty great birthday-- Daddy took her out on a lunch date,

which wound up being pretty hilarious. She got all dressed up in her pretty dress with flowers over her ears and a brand new headband. What a girl. So he took her to Taco Bell and along with her meal she got a pink drink, of course (strawberry smoothie).

After lunch he took her to a local toy store and let her pick out a few fun presents. We're not sure if she didn't quite get what was going on or not, but she picked out a couple things and then just walked around the store looking at things. So Derek, thinking they were done, grabbed a basket to carry the few things they had while they meandered.

That's when the light went on. All the sudden, the store opened up to her and she started grabbing everything and putting it in the basket. When Derek protested, "No, sweetie, we can't get that", she responded,

"Yes, we can. See? It fits!"

Meanwhile, I was facing this:

This face says, "Why isn't it MY birthday?!"

So we talked about how to be nice and why it wouldn't be very much fun if she was grumpy and mean when Xandri got home and how bad that would make Xandri feel and how it would ruin the fun time she just had with Daddy. So Avril thought about that and we did a special lunch of our own (Ramen. Nice.) and when Daddy and Xandri got back, we got this:

(Note the new candy necklace that she very nonchalantly munched on all day long and the bag of pretty, shiny, smooth magic rocks she got at the toy store.)

We had a princess cake for her birthday cake, just like Avril's of course. I didn't take any pictures... it really wasn't blog-worthy, just one of those edible sticker things you put on the cake, but she loved it and that's what it's all about.

Now, be prepared because I'm about to wow you with a stroke of genius my lazy lack of planning brought about.

Now, speaking hypothetically, of course, let's pretend that you're a busy mom who didn't have time to wrap her child's presents. You had every intention, you had the supplies, you just didn't get around to it. But you want the gifts to be fun and a surprise... so now what? Frantically try and wrap them right before while your husband keeps the kids distracted?

Or....

Birthday Present Scavenger Hunt!

That's right, I oh-so-quickly hid her presents in various places around the house. It was pretty funny watching her look for them and guiding her to them. They were pretty obvious--- or so I thought. In any case, I think it was a LOT funner than wrapping and cleaning up and Avril had a blast, too. I will never again wrap my kids' birthday presents.

She also got some stickers at the store with Daddy. Two sheets of sparkly butterflies and fairies. What more could a girl ask for? And what could she possibly be expected to do with such a prize but adorn both arms with every single sticker there?

I LOVE the look on her face in this next one. Can you just hear her little intake of breath as all of her dreams come true before her very eyes? It's subtle, maybe I'm the only one who sees it since I'm her mom, but wow. To me, that look says it all.