Happy Birthday America!

Our 4th of July was pretty relaxing.  Joel had to check the irrigators all day, so he was in and out of the house.  Ainsley and I made cupcakes, which she was very excited about.  She loves to help me in the kitchen.  Every evening while I fix supper, she runs in and asks to help.  I usually just sit her in the middle of the island and give her something to stir, or hand me and she's happy.  She thought the star sprinkles were cool. 

Caught her licking some icing off of a cupcake!

Ainsley's been obsessed with stars for about a month now.  I got out a bracelet Mom had got for her to see if she wanted to wear it one day.  It said "Special Granddaughter" on it, and Ainsley immediately found a little star charm that hung from it.  She was in heaven!  She wears it everyday and it's funny to watch her when she wakes up each morning.  I usually take it off of her at night and as soon as she wakes up, she'll walk around the house to find her "star" bracelet and put it on. 

I made her a "star" sandwich one day when I saw a star cookie cutter in the drawer.  She gobbled it right up and asks for a "star" sandwich for lunch every day.  Her first choice for lunch is a hot dog and after she says it, she'll look at me and say "noooooooo".  She doesn't like hotdogs (or any meat for that matter), but that's what Blaine that used to go to Lisa's asked for, so what Blaine did, Ainsley thinks she needs to do.  After she says "nooooo" to a hotdog, she'll ask for a star sandwich (made with good old peanut butter and jelly).  What better to have for lunch on the 4th of July than a "star" sandwich?  Ainsley's favorite lunch!

While making the cupcakes, Ainsley kept saying "Surprise" and "Happy Birthday".  I tried explaining we were making them to take over to Aunt Jennifer's later that day and to Lisa's the next day, but she was adamant about having a "Surprise".  After lunch, I stuck a candle in a cupcake and let her have it.  I even sang Happy Birthday for her while she blew out the candle.  She loved it!

We went over to Brian and Jennifer's to swim that evening before fireworks.  Ainsley loved jumping into the water and kicking her feet to "swim".  She was even jumping to me off the steps and swimming back to them by herself.  Granted, we weren't very far from them, but she still did it without much help from me.

Jack gave Lily a bottle before heading out to watch fireworks

Because both girls were tired, we didn't know if we'd make fireworks that night, but decided to try it.  We were going to just stay in my aunt's yard and watch from there, but decided to go ahead and walk down to the lake to join everyone else.  Of course, we got there right as they were starting and couldn't find everyone else, so we found a spot to sit down with Jeremy, Kathleen, and Jack.  Ainsley was really excited about the fireworks at first and would clap and look up at them in awe.

Jack, Kathleen, Ainsley and Joel watching the fireworks

In typical Ainsley fashion, she was ready to go after a few minutes.  The few minutes we were there, she loved them.  I think it would have been different if she hadn't been so tired, but there's always next year (even though Joel says he's not going again!)

We made snacks for Ainsley to take to Lisa's one day.

She cried because I put her snacks in the refrigerator....and she cried, and she cried some more!