Three years old and counting...

Ah, another Saturday, another party. This time, one of the 11 niece and nephews (second youngest) was turning the big "3" - and was she ever excited!

Here are some vital stats:

Potty trained - 95%

Loves Dora the Explorer

Knows her ABC's and 123's

Favorite Game: Hide and Seek

Super Power: Can dress herself in 3.5 seconds when Auntie is going to take her out

Nicknames: Lissy Lou, Sissy and Sassy

So the family gathered on a COLD JUNE AFTERNOON to celebrate the greatness that is being three. There was a definite theme to the presents:

The birthday girl held off while I managed to get ONE SHOT:
And then she let loose! It took her approximately 15 seconds to rip through the pile of presents. All we heard was paper tearing and "ooooh!!", "Dat mine!!" and "yeah!!!":
Some of the older cousins were immediately pressed into assembling the various toys.

Gratuitous Rant:

What the hell is up with the toy manufacturers and their insidious need to anchor every toy in the packaging as if it was a weapon of mass destruction? The twist ties, the rubber bands, the tape, the molded plastic around each and every tiny little molded plastic thingy...it was too much!!

But I digress. Time for some photography while Mom and Dad set up the cake:

Handsome older brother:

Then, the cake - picked out by the birthday girl herself:
she was a little wary about the whole blowing out of the candle activity....Took her awhile to warm up to the idea:
Some people, I WON'T SAY WHO, were a little impatient:
Then, after party specifics were complete, it was time for silliness before the annual "sit down and smile, damn it!" photo sitting:

For a three year old, she did pretty good - I took about 40 shots, and got about 4 that were really good:

Of course I had to fool around with them in photo shop, just for kicks:

A last image of the day, with the baby sisters exploring in the backyard: