Post-Birthday

Last night, before bed, Madeleine opened her birthday presents and was thrilled with what she received, particularly the Wow! Car Polly's Pony Carriage that was a gift from Julia.  This time, instead of making a hand-made card with "Madeleine WOW CAR" written on it, Julia opted for a less telltale card with colors and images that would be right up Madeleine's alley.  It could only have been more Madeleine-appropriate if Julia had colored her black-traced hand and footprint all the way in.

Madeleine was also thrilled with her new black dress shoes and beautiful charm bracelet from Nana:

Although she dearly wanted to sleep with her bracelet and dress shoes on and Polly the Wow! Car figurine in her bed, I convinced her that it was better not to lose her brand new items, and that she could play with them first thing in the morning.

The girls got a little less play time with the new toys than they would have liked this morning, since we had to leave shortly after 9am for church, but the fact that they got to wear pretty dresses helped them cope with the hiatus from birthday toys a little more easily.  Julia, in particular, was completely enamoured with her dress, another new-to-her hand-me-down I recently brought up from the basement.  She disappeared into my bedroom to check herself out in my full-length mirror, then reappeared in the living room some time later, apologizing for her long absence. 

"Sorry, Mama, I just had to, like, TWIRL around in front of the mirror and, like, do other things that I think ROYALTY would do."  She punctuated this statement with a grand curtsy, followed by several off-balance twirls around the room.

Madeleine was less invested in her dress, and more interested in the fact that she got to wear her new bracelet:

Thank you, Nana!

On the drive to church, I asked the girls if they'd had fun at Madeleine's birthday party.  After they concurred, I asked them what their favorite parts had been.  As expected, they were full of clear and detailed answers.

JULIA: Um...I just can't DECIDE!
MADELEINE: Uh...cause it was GREAT!

I then asked them about specific points during the party, in part to pass the time during a rainy car ride. 

ME: Who liked making paper jack-o-lanterns?




JULIA: (raising her hand)
MADELEINE: (glancing over at Julia, then raising her own hand.)

ME: Who liked eating cupcakes?
JULIA: (raising her hand)
MADELEINE: (glancing over at Julia, then raising her own hand.)

ME: Who liked eating pizza for dinner with our friends?
JULIA: (raising her hand)
MADELEINE: (glancing over at Julia, then raising her own hand.)

ME: Who liked saying "Poopy Uncle Pants!" when I was taking your picture on the couch?  (I'm a bit ashamed to admit it, but yes, I asked them to say "Poopy Uncle Pants" in lieu of "cheese," hoping it would yield the greatest amount of impromptu smiles in our group kid photo)
JULIA: (raising her hand and spurting a rapsberry-like laugh from her lips)
MADELEINE: (glancing over at Julia, then raising her own hand, and forcing her own raspberry-like laugh from her lips.)

ME: How did the cupcakes turn out, girls?
JULIA: Yummalicious!
MADELEINE: Uh...yummalicious!

At least they weren't delicia-rotten.

Madeleine doesn't like to copy her big sister AT ALL.

Since getting home from church, the girls have enjoyed playing with Madeleine's new birthday toys together all afternoon:

Julia is, truly, just as interested in Madeleine's new presents as Madeleine herself is.  I have pointed out to Julia several times today that she needs to remember how well Madeleine shared her birthday toys when it's time for Julia to open her own birthday presents.  And in case she conveniently forgets, I now have photo evidence!

And on that note, I bid you:
POOPY UNCLE PAAAAANTS!