Fam'bly!

Sylvie has been very excited these last couple of days with the steady arrival of her Ohio family.  Last night all gathered for a pre-Thanksgiving feast featuring Grandma Lynne's BBQ.  Aunt Mary (a big fan of said BBQ) joined us for dinner.

The place was a madhouse, as Uncle Pat in particular had Syl quite literally climbing the walls.  And of course cousin Aya is almost able to keep up now - she's quite the little walker.

By the end of the night, Sylvie was tuckered out from a day of play - as was her mom.

Happy Birthday Mommy!

"Mommy Melissa's" birthday isn't until tomorrow, but we celebrated yesterday so as to be able to do the event justice.  Sylvie sent Mommy to the spa in the morning for a massage, and then managed to talk Daddy into driving to Mommy's favorite restaurant to surprise her with some take-out sushi for lunch (Daddy just does not get that).

Mommy opened presents after lunch - a lunch which included some shared blueberries, which explain Mommy's gothic-looking "lipstick" in a few of the photos!

Granting a birthday wish

Then last night Aunt Mary came and stayed with Sylvie, while Daddy took Mommy out to her favorite city restaurant for dinner.

Mommy reports total satisfaction with her pre-birthday celebration.

My new favorite shot of Sylvie and me.

In Europe, they call it football

Syl woke up this morning with soccer on the brain (Madeline may have put the idea in her head last night). So we took her ball over to the park and did some running around.  She has the dribbling thing pretty much down - though any little distraction and she leaves the ball behind.

Got the basic idea.

The approach

Lining up the shot...

GOOOOAAAAAAAL!!!!!

Pretty troubling that at 3 years old she's already better at soccer than her dad ever was. That's a low, low bar, but still.

In a few years...

... I suppose I'll have to give the boy a little talkin' to...

For now though, it's pretty cute to see Jake protecting Sylvie from the scary movie (Cinderella, in this instance)...

Since the kids (and the adults) had such a great time when we got together last weekend, the O'Learys, Cocchiarellas and the Haleys did it again this week - this time at the O'Learys' house.  Great time again.  This shot, believe it or not, includes all five kids.  Truly a blur of energy and motion.

Little Gym!

Hanging

Rolling

Watching with Sophie

Resting

Melissa got slammed this morning and Daddy was working from home, so I took a break and accompanied Syl to a make up class at Little Gym. And look who was there! Sophie!

Birthday Bash Video!

This video comes close to capturing the madness that was Sylvie's third birthday party...

Happy Third Sylvie!!!

I just love this photo.  It doesn't begin to capture the entirety of Sylvie's birthday - or even Sylvie's birthday party.  But I just love it.  The hand is Mommy's.  The guys in the background are the Rhythm Kids, congratulating themselves deservedly on another kick-butt birthday performance.  We were very pleased with these guys - as were all of Syl's guests.

Turned out Sylvie's party was only a part of her birthday extravaganza.  After her guests left she took a quick nap, then we went to dinner with the O'Learys and the Cocchiarellas at Jalapeno's, a Mexican restaurant nearby.  Syl pounded down a quesadilla.  THEN everyone reconvened at our house, and Sylvie opened presents.  She didn't get to bed until after 10:30!!  I have to say, it was a pretty cool thing to realize I was kicking back with my best friend from high school and his family, and my best friends from college and their family, watching all our kids play together on my kid's third birthday.  That was a nice end to an otherwise crappy week.

Here are a few photos.  Many more in the new November 2010 Gallery.

And of course it wouldn't be a birthday without my retrospective...

11/06/2007

11/06/2008

11/06/2009

11/06/2010

Thanks to everyone who made Sylvie's third one to remember - from the gifts and the cards to the voicemails and the video chats - Sylvie certainly doesn't have to wonder if she's loved...

Video to follow...

Un restaurante Mexicano.

What better dinner option after an afternoon of partying? Sylvie is having a wackyfantstic birthday!  Sorry about the demon eyes - this is a Blackberry photo...

Gearing up for the Big Day!!

This is what I found when I got home tonight. Sylvie REALLY enjoyed her school birthday party today (featuring the super cute and yummy cupcakes Mommy made). Perfect practice for the main event tomorrow!!