Expensive Paper.

Her first 3-year-old Birthday gift arrived in the mail from Uncle Tom & Auntie Autumn all the way from Washington, DC!

The excitement built as she peeked into the box...

And then,

She was both surprised and happy to see another box inside the box to be opened!


"Oh boy, Momma! What could it be???"



It's...Another box!!!


"Oooohhh....prettty ribbons"
she says referring to the beautiful, gorgeous, ultra feminine fancy-pantsy boutique dress chosen just for her!! I admired and examined and oohed and aahed...

She moved onto other things...

Like the silly singing card she also received....

While I oohed and aahed some more, instantly imagining my precious, barely 3 year old daughter, joyfully wearing such a delicate number while serving me and our bonnet-clad guests tea and biscuits at our next gathering....

Much to my imagination's dismay...She was much, much, MUCH more interested in the bright pink paper it was wrapped in...

She giggled and wrapped herself up, pretending to snore. While I continued to ooh and aah with images of sugar plums dancing in my head (wearing this dress, of course). While I continued to plead, prod, insist and eventually beg her to please! try on this beauty of a dress....

She had other plans. And for the next 15 minutes, this took place:

A few days later my every wish came true (and so did hers with the bribery of candy...), and she so very willingly....... tried on the dress so I could follow her around the house like a Mommarazzi while she ran from the flash...

This dress is beautiful, and if you put all these images together you can actually appreciate it from all angles!!...

She insisted I take a picture of Santa by the door, instead of her....

Thanks again Tom & Autumn for such a lovely, thoughtful, gorgeous gift!!!

This Momma is thoroughly enjoying it!!!

I guess as smart as the girl truly is.....she is still only THREE! :)

And this certainly proves that...