Happy Birthday Millie, Joy and Jules

I usually share my birthday with my fabulous twin, Jules. But today I also shared it with my fabulous daughter, Millie, as we hosted her 4th birthday bash-- a Castle party. The Castle party was Millie's idea, a deviation on the usual "Princess Party" to accomodate her many friends of the boy set--she said, "they can't be princesses, let's have a castle party instead." Great idea, my smart little girl.

And so, for those of you grandparents and eager followers of the Brown family, The Castle Party (I warn you now, this is a loooong post):

At 6am this morning, the Bakery woke me out of a fog (I had been up until 2am editing the night before) to inform me that they did not have the kit to make Millie's 3D castle cake, and what would I like to do. After moments of panic (this cake was all she talked about for weeks) we decided to try and fake her out with the DISPLAY cake and then cut a sheet cake in the back. It was a good idea, but it didn't work. After trying to stick candles into the cardboard cake, Millie said, "this doesn't feel like a real cake!"... uh.... so we told her Surprise! It's actually a toy cake! A present for her to play with! Which she promptly did. phew. But wouldn't this have made a cool real cake? oh well.

Here is the substitute cake...

Birthday girls Joy, Millie,and Jules with Nonno and Penelope

Superfantabulous Uncle and Babcia! I couldn't have done it without you.

Penelope and her BFF Iris working hard at decorating their wands and castles...

Thanks to the Brophys for donating their super cool Castle Bounce House... it was a hit.

This was one of many castles the girls painted and created this week in anticipation of the party... but for you photographers out there, see--here is a useful idea for your White House Custom Color boxes!

Tori and Fran hanging out at the party. Fran is my 88 year old neighbor that I absolutely adore. There is nothing like a friend from an older generation to keep you grounded in what is important. I hope that when I am her age my family will visit me as often as they do her.

Iris and the bounce house. I am so lucky to have such an amazing photographer for a sister... she has documented every single momentous event in my girls' lives (including their births). Her ability to capture the moment perfectly is what sets her apart from the hobbyist.

And here we are... birthday girls. We love celebrating our birthdays together...

Brett was a good sport to be the pole for the Pinata... it was one of those 'gentle' pinatas where each kid takes a turn pulling the string to see WHICH string opens the trap and frees the candy! Millie gets to go first, of course...

...and the candy falls!

The pinacle of every birthday party... the cake (unfortunately not the castle cake)

....and blow!

Ben is thrilled for sugar. yippeee!

World's Greatest Uncle (and Babcia!)

Helena waits for cake

Millie digs in

Every good daddy uploads his kids' pictures to show off on mobile facebook...

Brett and his momma, Millie's Nana!

Pat having fun with Jules' new Flip video...

Sandra taking pictures of us taking pictures.... are there ever too many?

Proud mamma and daddy :)

Millie loved her presents, but she loves her friends even more....