Madeline the Monkey's 4th Birthday Party!

Madeline had a blast at her fourth birthday party with 17 of her sweet friends! We celebrated our little girl at our house with a monkey-themed party -- Madeline's choice, no doubt inspired by stories she's heard about her first birthday! She truly is a monkey, with the calluses on her hands to prove it, earned by hanging from monkey bars and tree branches.


The day before her party, Madeline excitedly helped me bake the monkey bread and banana bread for her party. While she slept, I baked her monkey cake and cupcakes. We brought fifteen pounds of bananas home from the grocery store, as well as a box of animal crackers for each kid, and waited for our little guests to arrive for brunch. (Of course, the Bloody Marys and "Jungle Juice" was set up for all the mommy's and daddy's)...

Once again, the weather was a dream -- in the 70's and sunny -- we enjoyed the back deck while the kids ran around the back yard chasing the dog. Madeline wore her flower girl dress from her Aunt Mollie's wedding, while she happily played in the birdbath and lathered herself in chocolate frosting. The moments I love the most are the ones you can never plan: Madeline using a salad server to stuff mass amounts of egg casserole into her mouth from the buffet table (thankfully everyone had already eaten, so we let the birthday girl indulge), and Charlie carefully picking the marshmallow eyeballs off of an entire plate of monkey cupcakes.

This week, we will meet up with my family in Arkansas to visit my grandma, who Madeline affectionately calls, "The grandma with the white hair who's also named Madeline." Since I won't be near a computer on March 19th, the day she was actually born, please forgive my sentimental note that I hope she will read one day:

Madeline May, you burst into our lives four years ago just exactly as we always prayed for -- healthy and perfectly you...full of spunk, personality, strong opinions and gentle innocence. I used to sing, "Isn't She Lovely" to you every morning. Your dad and I love you so much more than you will ever be able to understand until you have your own children. Every day that I get to watch you grow, learn and just be your uninhibited self is a gift from God. Happy birthday, sweet little monkey!