A very Ariel birthday

Tomorrow is really the day my girls turn five years old, but we celebrated early so we could have a leisurely Saturday afternoon family party. The theme was The Little Mermaid, Catherine's current obsession, and we played the Broadway soundtrack for the first time so we can start learning all the new songs before we go see it with Grandpa in August!

Catherine has also been talking about a chocolate cake with pink icing for weeks, so we set out to make one this afternoon.

Here was the result! Not bad for a nearly five-year-old "helping", I think. Each girl got five candles.

Catherine loved her new stick horse that she's been asking for. I think she named it Prince. Or Princess. I guess she's not quite clear on its gender.

Grandma also sent kids' paddles for the kayaks, which we had been looking for for a long time. Perfect!!

Elisabeth got a new Princess backpack that she absolutely loved and started wearing around the house. Catherine got an Ariel backpack that she loved too, but was not quite as obsessed with it.

A very happy day! My little girls are growing up so fast!

They're still teensy tiny girls, though! We did weights and measures today:

Catherine: 35 pounds (16th percentile), 40 inches tall (8th percentile).
Elisabeth: 32 pounds (4th percentile), 38 inches tall (3rd percentile).

Yes, they're small but mighty! Healthy and lively and growing and catching up fast all the time!