Happy Birthday Margaret!

Late as usual. Margaret had a lovely third birthday. Celebrations began early when Laura, Paul, Patrick and Nicole (aunts and uncles) came for the weekend. It was so much fun for me to host everyone together at our new place--it's great to be the one in the middle!--and Margaret had a little party, too. She had requested chocolate cake with white frosting "just like Uncle Ben." I'd made Ben that kind of cake for his graduation and apparently the memory really stuck. Margaret loved it but for Joseph's birthday I'm hoping to talk him into a dessert that doesn't require a whole bag of sugar.

Margaret was the very happy recipient of several gifts including some stationery that some of you might be seeing if you are the chosen "letter day" correspondent for the week. A couple of grandparents contributed to the furnishing of the doll house Margaret got for Christmas last year. She is so thrilled that her dolls have beds and tucks them in most nights before heading upstairs to bed herself.

We got Margaret a tea set which might have been an even bigger hit. Joseph wants one for his birthday, too, but we're still negotiating. You can see that Margaret has already had the quintessential tea party with her dolls. Actually, I misspoke: Margaret's "dolls" live in the dollhouse; the tea party guests are her "babies."

We're looking forward to a wonderful year ahead for Margaret. She's really growing into such a lovely, smart, helpful girl. Lately she has been on a kick of going out of her way to thank people. "It was really nice of you to get me these new tights, Mommy. I really like the color." So sweet. And if Margaret is having a hard time, the best way to get her to snap out of it is to state a problem. "Margaret, William needs a diaper," sends her scurrying off to fetch one for me. She loves to vacuum and peel garlic, she loves to draw, she loves fussing around with collections of small objects (like doll furniture and tea sets), she loves being around me, she goes nuts with excitement when Eric gets home. She thrives on ritual and predictability and useful occupation. And she can really, really make William laugh. I think we'll keep her.