While we are having Maggie's "official" b-day party on the 29th, we decided to have a special birthday dinner for our family tonight. Maggie chose the dinner, her favorite - scrambled eggs, M&M pancakes, cheesy hashbrowns, and bacon. We served it on our china, and we all dressed up...the girls in their princess dresses, Rob in a suit, and myself in an old bridesmaid dress. Of course, we had the Disney princess CD playing in the background.

The poor birthday cake: I wasn't going to make one, since we are going to do a Tinkerbell cake for her birthday party...but, I decided it would be fun...well, the 2-layer chocolate-from-scratch cake that I was trying to make, didn't quite make it. One layer, pieced together with white icing looked like quite a mess, so I reached into the "candy cabinet" and decided to cover up my mistakes with candy. Maggie thought it was great! Not one of my greatest baking feats, but the girls were very excited about their "candy cake."

PaPa's & Grandma Shell have a friend in SC named Maggie who sent Maggie this present...a beautiful silver cross necklace.

Mommy was very excited about the adorable clothes that Aunt Kelly sent Maggie for her.

Strawberry Shortcake was definitely a theme for this year's b-day. Maggie has been wanting this DVD since Christmas, so the DVD, Strawberry Shortcake t-shirt and zebra print umbrella from Grandma and Grandpa were definitely a hit.

I wrote a pretty sentimental birthday card to Maggie from Rob and I, sharing with her what we are proud of her for, and what we are praying to God for for her. I didn't think she would really say much about it, but our little reader read the card outloud, and then almost started to cry. She was really touched by the card, which was one of the more mature things I have ever seen from her. She then gave both of us hugs and kisses.

Checking out her new V-smile game.

Blowing out the candles...all five of them!