Happy Birthday Caroline!

Cue Kool and the Gang...We're having a Celebration!

Though really, Every Day's a Holiday with Caroline, we've managed to stretch this special holiday into a week full of parties!

 Celebration #1: Old Family Friends (OFF) Party*

Caroline's Grandma and Grandpa Beaumont were on hand for the big fete. The Party of Five began with an early dinner of some of her most favorite foods - pizza, broccoli, and watermelon - and topped it off with a throwback from mommy's childhood: the yummy Cherry Chip Cake**, made (with some help from Betty Crocker) by mommy herself.

Then it was on to presents! Caroline was a full participant in all package-ripping, and loved all of her clothes, toys, and games. We have one lucky little girl to be blessed with such generous family and friends...

And the tradition of the delicate pink cake continues...

She wasn't a huge fan of the cake (Is this our child??). Maybe next year!

After the birthday girl retired for the evening, the grownups toasted her with some wine from (where else?) Chateau Caroline!

Celebration #2: Partying with her friends.

Next, it was on to cupcakes and cookies with all of her friends at school.
Caroline is lucky to share a birthday and a class with her best buddy Rory (the pretty little girl with the pigtail). These two are already inseparable!

Even mom and dad got to join in on playtime. So much fun!

Look at the baby Caroline!

Bring on the next party!

*This year, the OFF party was just family, though we plan to institute the true OFF tradition next year!
**This delicious, and elusive cake-mix even earned a spot at the Hard to Find Grocer. CEC's Grandma has been looking for it in Tallahassee since 1993, with no luck. And there it was, at our neighborhood Safeway in Bethesda all along.