When the new year began, one of Ollie’s favorite things to ask me about was holidays. I’d carefully list each month’s holidays, and when we came to June, I’d say “Ollie’s 3rd birthday!” So, Ollie has had her birthday on her mind for about 6 months now. Her 1st birthday party was a flower and garden theme, her 2nd birthday party was a bunny theme, and her 3rd birthday party was a rainbow theme. Since Ben will be attending the World Cup in Atlanta with his friends (I’m so excited for him!) we held Ollie’s birthday party 10 days early.

Overall, planning Ollie’s birthday party is such a special experience for me as a mom and as someone who loves Ollie more than words. From designing the invitations to ordering the decorations, I love creating a day as special as she is. Ollie loves — and I mean loves — parties and celebrations, and she was absolutely tickled as our paper chain countdown to her birthday party became shorter and shorter. Today, I’m excited to share all the details of her birthday party.

Our Big Girl is 3 Years Old

Before we dive in, I just have to say: I can hardly believe our sweet Ollie is 3 years old. She is bold, confident, silly, creative, smart, and kind. I always tell Ben how much Ollie inspires me, because she’s absolutely fearless. She is wholeheartedly herself — brave, curious, and ready for any adventure.

Just last week, we attended a summer party at our local library, where, rather than watching the acrobats perform, Ollie decided she was actually the performer, and she danced her heart out from the audience. For the rest of the day, she called herself “Ollie Performer” and asked again and again, “Can we talk about when Ollie performed?”

I could go on and on about how smart she is: She’s been reading since she was 23 months old, and she speaks just like Ben and I do — with the exception of her sweet mispronunciations, which Ben and I promised not to correct anytime soon because they resemble her last bit of toddlerhood. (Don’t even get me started, or I’ll cry!) Right now, we’re loving “breakfakst” (breakfast) “adactable” (adaptable) “school” (squirrel) “mines” (mine) “you” (I) and so many more.

Ollie no longer naps daily, but luckily, her naps have been replaced with daily snuggles, which I know I’ll cherish forever. Every detail about her — from her tiny kisses to holding her sweet, soft hand while we cross the street, to hearing her pitter patter run down the hallway when we get a package on the front porch — it’s all etched into my mind, and I know Ben and I will look back and confidently say these are the best, most beautiful days of our entire lives.

This summer, we’re looking forward to soccer, play groups, and all the library and community events we can cram in. Then, we’re moving cross-country to Southwest Florida. Leaving behind a home we built — and a home that has been Ollie’s first and only home — is also something I can’t discuss without getting teary-eyed. And yet, I am also excited for new places, new memories, and new experiences as a family. Ollie and I have already talked about growing lemons and limes on our lanai… and I just know that having wonderful weather year-round is going to make such a meaningful difference for our family. It’s a really big change, but Ben and I keep saying it’s one step closer to where we want to be. Best of all, Ben’s parents will be staying with us for an extended period in January and February, and it’ll be so precious and wonderful for Ollie to make special memories with her grandparents, too. There’s a lot to look forward to, while also feeling nostalgic for the chapter of life we’re currently in.

Ollie’s Rainbow Themed 3rd Birthday

I knew I wanted Ollie’s special day to feel so special and magical, just like her. Here’s a quick breakdown of everything we chose for Ollie’s rainbow themed party.

Menu for a Rainbow Themed Birthday Party: We created a rainbow fruit platter (strawberries, golden kiwis, green grapes, and blueberries), a rainbow vegetable platter (red peppers, carrots, yellow peppers, cucumbers), rainbow pasta salad (tri-color rotini, tomatoes, cucumbers, and Italian dressing), a colorful plate of chips, salsa, and homemade guacamole, followed by chickpea salad sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls. We ordered a custom rainbow cake from Whole Foods, and then on her party day, Ollie and I baked our very own take on the Instagram-famous Dot Cakes.

Decorations for a Rainbow Themed Birthday Party:

• Meri Meri Placemats
• Meri Meri Paper Plates
• Rainbow Streamer Garland
• Rainbow Banner Pennants
• Rainbow Balloon Garland
• Individual Color Balloon Garland
• Rainbow Clothespins for Photo Banner
• Rainbow Paper Cups for Food or Dessert
• Rainbow Party Favor Bags

Overall, I’m so happy with how everything came together. Ollie was so surprised to wake up in the morning and see our entire home decorated with so many colors. She could hardly believe her party day had finally arrived.

What We’re Most Excited About for Age 3

It’s impossible to capture in words how special Ollie is. When I think about her as a big 3-year-old, I’m in awe. How have 3 years gone by so quickly?

As I look toward our move to Southwest Florida, I hope age 3 brings a chapter of new adventures and new favorite places for Ollie. I hope we can make some really beautiful memories, like growing lemons on our lanai, decorating Ollie’s new playroom, and spending quality time with family.

I hope Ollie will continue gymnastics, because she loves it so much. I hope she’ll keep discovering books she loves. And I hope she always knows how proud I am of the wonderful person she is. She is all the magic in the world.