BD Party

Avery was recently honored with an invitation to her friend Alexandra's third birthday party.  It was held at Little Gym, so most of the pictures we took were blurs of a flurry of toddlers spinning and running and jumping and participating in general merriment.  However, there were a few shots that made me realize just much Avery has grown up lately.

This shot is a bit blurry, but I love it because the kids were told to stand on the dots.  It was a way of herding them into a line to take turns getting onto a bouncy thing.  Most of the other kids were three-ish and had a lot of trouble adhering to the "stay on the dot until the person in front of you moves" guidance.  My little 18-month-old looked at that dot with an intensity that still brings a smile to my heart.  She followed those instructions and went from dot to dot.  Kids would pass her by, cut in front, whatever - she just concentrated on her dot and then moved forward when it was time.  I have a feeling when she's three, she'll be a lot like the other three-year-olds who weren't exactly paying attention to the rules. But for now, this shot is of my little rule-follower. 

At another point in the party, the kids were instructed to all get on the previously mentioned bouncy thing and pose for pictures. The three-year-olds had no trouble with this.  I assumed Avery wouldn't follow the instructions, but darned if she didn't do just that.  Again, not the greatest photography shot, but definitely a memorable one of my baby growing up before my eyes.