This day totally ROCKED!

It's time to get this party day started with a trip to the Exploratorium in Skokie. What is the Exploratorium, you ask? Well, let's find out...

There are music walls (of course we had to head there first),

a cool light table to play with magnetic shapes,

a very steep (7 ft.) rock wall,

"I told you I'm a monkey!"

a fountain and pond for fishing wild game,

a giant storybook theater complete with dress up clothes (perfect for this princess!),

tables for coloring pictures of everyone's favorite pals Woody and Bullseye,

and a pint size chalkboard to teach today's lesson all about: I-S-L-A ISLA!

We are so glad we could explore this imagination playground. Who says a January birthday girl can't have loads of fun even if we have to be inside to get a 70º temperature? There was even more things that we had to save for another day because it was time to go out for a special birthday dinner!

Here we are at Brownstone, one of our favorite spots, and Mr. Man can hardly wait for his hot pretzel, burger and beer! Oh wait, that's Daddy's dinner. Nevertheless, he is having so much fun on his big sister's birthday!

Two of my most favorite people in the whole world...

and there's the other little one!

(But he is much more interested in the containers of food in front of him and the Big 10 basketball game on the giant TV.)

The birthday beauty ate all of her dinosaur chicken nuggets but made sure she had plenty of room for the rock star cake at home.

Did somebody say cake? Let's go home and get the real party started!

Rockin' out Kapellas style!

A 3-star singing performance!

We totally rock! Can't you just hear the blaring AC/DC in the background...

"For those about to rock!"

Stop the music! Isn't it time for presents??

We just can't get enough Beauty and the Beast! Isla also got DVDs of some other favorites like Finding Nemo and Tangled.

But the gift that takes the cake and a true rock star party wouldn't be complete without is...

tickets to see The Fresh Beat Band LIVE and IN PERSON!!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Isla!

When you arrived into this world, we were given such a blessing that is beyond anything we could have imagined. You've become an amazing little girl and watching you grow has been nothing short of fascinating. Oh, how we love you, sweetpea!