Joyeux NOEL

Happy Birthday Noel, you are 5!

And starting tomorrow, Noel is taking over NOEL!  My 5-year-old will learn to write her own blog, let's see how it turns out?

We are truly blessed with so many friendships.  Friends and families from near and far, Happy Birthday are pouring in from all around.  We appreciate everyone's gifts and good wishes, this year, Noel's got a special visitor from next door, ADORABLE!

 

We don't get to keep the little one, but what Noel gets to keep and enjoy, is a big pile of birthday presents!  We thank you, all, for being part of our lives!

4 years old Birthday girl

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Noel
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

We were not supposed to be singing the English version this year, the plan was to celebrate Noel's 4-year-old birthday in Taiwan; and of course, sing the Mandarin Happy Birthday song.

There is a Chinese saying goes something like....." you can plan all you want, but in the end, the heaven above does the planning...."  Ouch, what an awful translation, but you get the gist.  Well, our trip to Taiwan was eventful, in short, we had to cut the trip short and I had 2 days to prepare for Noel's birthday.....honestly, there was a moment I kinda wanta "skip" it, God knows how exhausted I was and definitely not in the mood for a party.  But my sweet daughter remembers her 3-year-old birthday party so well, she talks about her Thomas cake, the birthday hat, her friends and presents, I don't have the heart to ignore this special day.

So I made my second cake -DON"T LAUGH (especially you Junny!)  Yes, yes, I stuck the dinos on the cake, thanks to Mattel!  Noel was really concerned at first, she worried that we are eating her dinosaurs, ha, cute!  If you think of this cake as a  product of an exhausted mom who just got off a 20+ hours airplane rides,  you will find it more lovely!

The size of the party is not even close to what we had last year, just a couple of friends, our famous babysitter Jenni (and her baby in the belly!) and Noel's dear friend Grace.  But we surely had a great time!

Cheers, my big girl!  I cannot believe you are 4 years old.... mommy loves you; and don't hate me for the cake when you grow up!!!

Pool fun

Thanks to aunt Dagni, Noel finally got her first pool!

Water activities are really not my thing, I know it's not fair, but I have no desire to sign Noel up for swimming lessons.  I cannot tell you how many people have asked me in the past month if Noel goes to the pool.... When I say no, they look at me like I am the worst mother in America!

Aunt Dagni dragged us to the store today and Noel picked up this pool.  Knowing I will likely leave the box in the garage and never touch it; she even came over with the pumps and helped us set it up...what a great auntie!  Look, Noel's got a castle!

Facing the pool, it's a baby slide, and the other way, you got a little chair, how neat is this.

it even got a sprinkler that shoots out water... splish splash!!!

And by the way, Noel does not even have a decent swimming suit, this is a hand-me-down one and completely not our style, well, don't say a word yet, I did ordered a cute one for her, it's on the way.....

BIG Thomas (Part III)

"wow, I am riding Thomas the tank engine, this is so cool....."

"hey Thomas, are you going to move?"

"...here we go..... we are moving along..... yeah!"

"hey young lady, safety is number 1 in the island of Sodor, keep your head and hands inside of the train...."

wave to the "interesting" people outside!!!

"mama said this train is REALLY old... reminds her of the train ride she took with her daddy when she was very little...."

"can you tell I am extremely tired?  I was up at 9 am, it's way too early for me....."

"....but I would not miss this.....after all, this is ....."

"...SUPER FUN!"

BIG Thomas (Part II)

Well, before we step into the train, we have to thank aunt Robin for coming along for this fun day, well, so sore of- if you don't consider the BIG traffic jam on the way in and that hail storm on the way out.....

Yeah, we sat in the traffic for an hour and half, we could have driven through that distance in 4 minutes!  Noel was being very good and patient, but let me just tell you..... what I really want to do is to make a face, just like this one!!!

BIG Thomas (Part I)

Noel's birthday did not end with the party, it's the birthday month, right?  So here we go.... one more surprise.  And yeah, thank you auntie Cheryl for this entire outfit, Noel is all dressed for such occasion!

Wow, Noel, look, look who is pulling into the station!!! 

Noel: " who?  mommy, what are you talking about?"

Mom: "turn around, he is behind you..... quick....."

Let's take a picture with Thomas, and get in line, we are going to ride in it!

Cake, the cake....(Birthday Party IV)

Okay, my first cake !(well, I did a test one though)  I cannot believe I am baking cakes, my friends' jaws almost drop when I told them this.  With Noel's peanut allergy, I do not trust any bakery, but how can it be a birthday without a cake?  What choice do I have? 

One of Noel's birthday wishes was to have a chocolate cake, not to disappoint her, I decided to give it a try.  Hey, 3-year-old cannot tell even if I mess it up!  This is not just any chocolate cake, it's a recipe from "barefoot contessa"-pretty fancy for a little girl's birthday cake!

Look carefully, there is a Thomas train candle running on the yellow track too!

Make a wish Noel!

Yum!  Noel ate a huge piece!  That made her mama feel like a million dollar! 

On her first birthday day, not to mention "play with the birthday cake" or "take a bite of the first cake"  She would not even dip a finger into the frosting!  Her second birthday cake was a beautiful pink one, she took a tiny bite, and walked away....

All done with the cake, what's next.....?

Food train (Birthday Party III)

Here comes the birthday food train!!!

Noel : " oh-uh, Thomas, you are pulling sandwich and pastries, what would Sir Topham Hatt think of this???"

while we were in the library....(Birthday Party II)

Birthday girl gets whatever she wants.  After the party, mom was exhausted, but Noel still wanted to go to the library, so we did.

She loves to play with puzzles and doll house in the library, and that also gives me some free time to sit and read a magazine or two.  Two little boys got their books and sat right next to me, Noel saw that, and came, she said : " mama, the boys are sitting next to you!"

I answered : " yes, dear!"

Noel immediately took a seat next to me on the other side and said in a sweetest voice, loud enough for the people around us to hear: " Noel is also sitting right next to mama, because Noel and mama are best friends!"

Noel, I hope you will say this to me on your 18th birthday too!

Love you, little girl, Happy Birthday.

Calling for all engines......(Birthday Party I)

...and say    HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOEL!

Toby, James and Percy: " Hey Thomas, I heard you are the STAR of the day!"

Thomas: " Well, sore of....."

Toby, James and Percy: "What do you mean sore of, you are having your portrait done by Noel's mama.... Look!"

Thomas : " Well, but it's on a cake,  not on a canvas.  And wait, did you see McQueen in the back, the red car.... I think he is moving his way in, Noel is starting to like him more and more each day, I am afraid he might get his portrait painted next year.... on a canvas."

Here is the cake for the birthday girl! 

Let's see how she likes it when she wakes up......