One Year Older & Wiser Rue?

Yesterday was the big day, LaRue turned four years old. Not that she'll admit it. Lately she has been very insistent that she is two. Yesterday she told me two was her favorite number and whenever we asked her how old she was she would say "I don't know." When we held up four fingers for her to count she would still insist that she didn't know. Oh well, she still often acts like a two year old so it's pretty appropriate I guess.
Before Jordan and I got married I had the best roommate a girl could ask for. Shirley is one of the most genuinely sweet, kind and generous people I know and I just adore her. She and her husband got married about a month and a half before Jordan and I, and then our first babies Emma and LaRue, were born on the same exact day! Crazy, right? So we had a double party for the girls at Chuck E. Cheese.

I had such high hopes for getting tons of amazing pictures, but in the madness of trying to keep an eye on all of the kids as they ran around in stimulation overload I didn't end up getting much at all.
I DID however sit in the sketching/photo booth with LaRue, and I am not exaggerating when I say that this is the best "picture" I've taken since my wedding day.I am many things but photogenic is NOT one of them. But now I've discovered the secret! Anytime I know that I'll probably wind up in pictures all I need to do is hire my own personal sketch artist. This will work for portrait scenarios, and if he or she is good enough candids as well. Thanks to the art of chiaroscuro, I can start to nurture a little bud of self esteem. That wouldn't be eccentric would it? Too eccentric? Hmmm, we'll just see.
At any rate, the girls had a blast! And if I don't go to Chuck E. Cheese again for a couple of years that will be fine by me. LaRue had a very long day, so of course there was some drama. She was having a melt down when I wouldn't let her cut and serve the cake and ice cream. She insisted on having two pieces of cake, and I'm pretty sure she didn't even take one bite. But it was her party and she must have heard that that means you can cry if you want to, and so she did.
She brightened up and calmed down when it was time for presents of course. Everyone was so thoughtful and generous and she made out like a cute little bandit. I had made Emma and LaRue matching tutus, which of course we had them try on. This was right as Chuck E. Cheese and the band were playing their big Happy Birthday song, so the girls held hands and danced and danced, it was pretty sweet.

That's just a little snippet for you, they ended it with a couple of awesome poses and then there was bowing. Thanks again to everyone who thought of LaRue on her birthday, she had a pretty great day.