Oh Emma!

Emma is officially one!  Even though Emma would like to be as old as Cate, she is one.  She relished her day in the spotlight.  Her little pals at her music class began the class with a birthday song.  Later that day we had a family celebration followed by a trip to watch Cate rock around with her classmates to Jingle Bell Rock.  Here's a few pics, including a few from her preparatory party with our closest buds earlier this week where she practiced the first-cake plunge with a Sprinkles cupcake (by far my favorite in DC, although I do like the little cafe around the corner, Frostings).


Emma ready to party (and a good sport in her tutu and hat) . . .

 Cate insisted they get fancy for Emma's birthday.

Emma admiring Cate . . .

Emma checking out her "birthday suit"

 Wrapping paper is the best part of presents . . .

 The singing birthday dog.

Waiting for cake  . . .

Ready to sing . . .

For our little star Emma.  Above is her personal cake, and below is the one for the rest of us . . .

When you are one, you need a big sister to help blow out the candle . . .

First bites . . . 

Cate is eating her slice yet closely monitoring Emma's cake.

Post-cake, Emma's sugar high began.  She started playing with her new microphone,  but quickly made it over to her chair and literally started bouncing off the chair.  I thought she might actually take her first step.

We took a quick break for a costume change as we prepared to head out to Cate's school holiday party. The bouncing continued.

Fast forward another thirty minutes, and we were watching Cate "rock" it out at school.

The larger group at school (the older kids are alums who came back to join the group).

And a few shots of Emma from earlier this week while prepping for the big day and celebrating Christmas with some best buds . . .

The little posse . . . 

The older kids "being sneaky" . . . 

And, while I am posting, which is rare these days, clips of my miniature madame trash heaps.