It’s been a big weekend of partying for Kathy and me. My dad and Sonja came over Friday for some relaxed shopping in downtown Racine -followed by a fun supper with Lynn and Walter at one of Racine’s coolest new restaurants, the Douglas Avenue Diner.  Tonight was a night of fun with the Barrows, Conners, and Jean Veltman at our house- Tacos and Talk was the order of the day.   But the wildest partying of all happened this afternoon with our niece, Lorelai, who celebrated her third birthday (one day early.)  Polly and Mark had quite a houseful, including Mark’s mom and all of his siblings, plus the usual suspects. . .

Highlights. . .  Trying to help Kathy’s dad assemble a fancy Dora the Explorer figurine which could be either Mermaid Dora or Beach Dora depending on which way you pointed her tail.  (I’m not making this up.)  We eventually ran into an intractable road block which wasn’t solved until Stevie Palmer realized that we had neglected to put in the four batteries required for the thing to operate. . .

. . . Kathy’s dad putting his Swiss Army Knife to good use in extracting various figures and toys from their vacuum sealed packages, all of which were dainty and pink. . .

. . .  Kathy’s dad running around for most of the afternoon with a party hat on which made him look even more cuddly than normal.

In fact, if anyone looked more cuddly and cute than Kathy’s dad, it was our niece Lorelai.  She had a party hat on at the beginning of the day but by the end of the party she had traded it in for a glittering tiara which came with one of her gifts.  Not all three year old girls could make a tiara work, but Lorelai can.   🙂

By the end of the party Lorelai was surrounded by a truly incredible mountain of gifts – – – but I think what was even more important and impressive was all of the love which surrounded her today.  If indeed it takes a village to raise a child,  then Lorelai has some exceptionally devoted “Village People” who love her and are looking out for her.  Not that her own mom and dad don’t shower her with love and attention beyond measure, but past that immediate circle of love and devotion is a circle of friends and family who are right there ready to play whatever part they can in making sure that Lorelai knows how much she is loved.  And amongst all the other hats that Kathy and I wear in our lives, this one is as important as any of them.  The paycheck may stink, but it has the most amazing perks!

pictured:  Lorelai at Polly and Mark’s front door, watching several party guests pull up in front of the house.