This is the story of Elise's third birthday party.

I've been planning a fairy birthday party for Elise pretty much since the day she was born. I am a big believer in all things make-believe and fairies are right at the top of the list. I just love the idea of them...beautiful dainty creatures watching us from trees in the forest.

Anyway, I've been planning this party for three years and this was going to be the year. I got fairy wings from my dad's drama class, had great fairy tea planned with little fairy sandwiches, flower sushi (ah the advantage of making california rolls yourself), magic wands made of fruit. There was going to be a fairy make-over station where all the little girls could don their wings, have their nails painted with glitter nail polish and then they would go and make crowns and wands. The piece de resistance was to be a treasure hunt in the enchanted forest across the street from our house. I was going to use lots of twinkling fairy lights to set the mood. I made the invitations with a fairy on the front that looked like the fairy princess being invited to the party (nerdy, I know). Put fairy dust inside and mailed them in the post to our invitees. Elise even picked out the cupcakes in our cupcake book.

Then...woe is me...we were watching Diego and Baby Jaguar was to start the Jaguar party by growling. Elise turns to me and says "I want a jaguar party!" "Oh yeah," says I. Well, for the following couple of weeks I tried to get her back onto the fairy themed party. I even offered to do both parties since one of our invitees wasn't able to make the party and said we could do a Jaguar party with Bella the next day. Each time I mentioned the fairy party, without fail, Elise said "No mama. I'm having a jaguar party. I only want one party and I want a jaguar party."

Not wanting to be one of THOSE parents who lives vicariously through my children, I officially changed the theme and started searching out jungle party ideas.

Today was Jaguar Day. I used green crepe paper streamers and curling ribbon for vines on the ceiling in the entry way and dining room. Green tissue paper leaves on the light over the dining room table and the walls in the entry way as well as long brown paper with smaller leaves stuck on. In the corner of the living room was the Jaguar Spa, a long piece of blue wrapping paper hanging from one of our speakers with blue curling ribbon stuck to it and white and blue tissue paper crumpled at the bottom to create a water fall. Some green streamers and ribbon for more vines around the water fall as well. I must admit, the decorations looked pretty cool for $10 worth of paper and ribbon.

As the kids came in, we played The Lion Sleeps Tonight on the stereo and Elise greeted them all with a "Mrwawrwaaaaw!" They then proceeded to the Jaguar Spa to have their claws painted whatever colour they wanted, a pink nose, whiskers and spots with eyeliner pencils. I made them all ears out of paper and hair bands. We had a glueing and cutting project going at the table and they just all played for about an hour. Then we went to the "jungle" across the street, each armed with a map to follow to rescue a baby animal. Along the way they found envelopes that contained a couple of facts about the animals they were rescuing. The animals were beany babies and I got an ostrich, iguana, kiwi bird, beige bear (Kermode Bear!), and anteater. I bought a special jaguar stuffy for Elise but she insisted that she didn't want to look for a baby jaguar, she wanted to look for another animal so she got the anteater and Daniella got the jaguar which made everyone happy. The kids really enjoyed the animal rescue and were extra excited to learn they got to keep their rescued animal.

Then we came back to the house for lunch (california rolls, turkey sandwiches, Edamame beans, chips and cupcakes). I had bought some cool jungle animal cups, plates and cutlery at Walmart. I made cupcakes for dessert. Most of them were decorated green with bright candies on them but there were "Jaguars" hiding amongst them-one for each of the kids who, of course, all chose green ones!

Elise opened her presents (Aqua Doodle from Lydia, Jungle print pants and shirt from Samantha, Dora card games from Julian, Calico Critters bedroom set from Tess, and a croquet set from Grandma and Grandpa).

It was a great party and I'm writing this now because Elise is conked out having a nap.

Oh, P.S. Daniella is having a fairy party when she turns two--before she has an opinion!

Time flies with kids-everyone tells you that when you have a baby and you think "yeah, yeah. I know it does" And then the baby starts crawling and then she turns one and then, all of a sudden, she is THREE and starting preschool on Tuesday.

The past three years has been incredible for me as Elise's mother. I am so fortunate that I get to stay home with her and watch her grow into a beautiful girl. In my most positive mother moments I take credit for her good and happy nature. She has excellent manners, goes to bed easily and doesn't throw many tantrums. As many people tell me, she is an absolute delight.

In my "bad mother" moments, I chastise myself for losing my temper, nagging her to do as I've told her, or just saying the wrong thing. For example, threatening that they'll send her home from preschool if she doesn't stay dry only to have her repeat the same days later, long after I'd forgotten I had even said it. (well, in my defense I actually thought a little push like that might help her over that last potty training hurdle). Man, I stayed awake for hours that night feeling guilty about the effect my simplest words have on her. (incidentally, I told her I was wrong about the sending her home from preschool thing after I went to the parent night on Thursday! Whew! Crisis averted)

We are both really looking forward to preschool starting on Tuesday. Elise turned three yesterday and when I told her it was her birthday and she is now three she said "Three years don't use suckies anymore" as she put hers up on the counter (twinge...) "Now I get to go to preschool!"

Elise is still on the quiet side which I must admit works really well for me. She gets a bit overwhelmed by too many people and too much noise but likes small groups and is not shy by any means. She loves going to the park and picking berries on the path in the woods across the street from our house. At the park she loves to climb and balance. She likes Daniella ok but is a bit afraid of her since he tends to pinch and bite (who could blame her?) but they are starting to play together and enjoy making each other laugh. The other thing she is really into right now is playing with small things like the dollhouse furniture at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

She loves to do things by herself. We get through the day, especially at meltdown times, by giving her choices to get her to point B. For example, if I need her to get dressed I say "would you like to pick your clothes or shall I?" My favourite answer to that question, by the way, is "Shall you."

She doesn't like dogs or cats (though she doesn't mind looking at them she's just a bit afraid of them). She also doesn't like peppers.

Some of the funny things she says include: "I'm not coping very well" "I prefer..." "I fancy a snack" "I need nuuuuuvv" while pointing with her two little hands "I want some nittle bit milk"

I have absolutely loved Elise's two's and I certainly hope her threes are just as much fun (though I've heard that sometimes it's actually the terrible threes) We'll see but at least I know it will be an adventure every day!

I love you, Elise. Happy birthday my beautiful girl.

Can you believe it? Elise turned the T-H-R-E-E today!

Some weeks ago, Elise complained that something was hurting in her tummy. Due to some additional evidence her body was providing, we deduced that it was probably gas a told Elise the same. Maybe a week later, I was heading down to the states to get some gas for the car. When I told Elise where I was going, she looked upset said "That really hurts."

Wait there's more....

About a week after that we were at the park and Elise hurt her leg. She was tired so she was kind of whining about it for a while when I said "Aw sweetie is your leg still hurting?" and she said "Yeah...I have gas in it."

Elise and I really enjoy our cuddles. She will often come to me and say "I need some nuv" and then we have a cuddle and I say "I have love for you" or "I love loves." She recently starting reaching for me if we are sitting side by side (like at the table) and now she says "I have nuvs for you" or "I nuv nuv nuvs". Too cute not to share with you.