Moo: A 3-year-old's cow birthday party

Thank goodness I had experience in barnyard cake design after last year's sheep cake, because Cricket demanded a cow theme for her 3rd birthday.

She requested we invite her cousin, Iris, and her best from preschool (Ahh! It melts my heart that she has a best friend at school...), but even with a small and familiar group, she was feeling shy and didn't want us to sing Happy Birthday.

However, not even her shyness or anyone else's could have kept the kids from gobbling up the cow cake. (Thanks to by brother-in-law, Christo, for helping with party photos, by the way.)

Or decorating felt cows...

Cricket loves art projects, so her big gift was an easel.  She hasn't stopped painting since it arrived!

I couldn't help including a few pre-party birthday photos. Left: The day she celebrated her birthday at school, cow dress (which Jeff's mom found for her), ladybug boots and all. Right: Jeff acting thrilled to be cutting out felt cows...

And in case you missed her birthday invitation:

You can find Cricket's 3-year-old portraits here.