Today was Ladybug’s eighth birthday! We had a fun, busy day!

We started out at the Missouri Botanical Garden, where we took the tram tour for the first time. I think we all learned a lot! We also stopped by the Ottoman Garden, where the birthday girl had to pose on the throne:

We then went to everybody’s favorite restaurant (Seamus McDaniel’s in Dogtown, in case that isn’t obvious), for lunch.

Present time is always one of the birthday highlights, and this year was no exception. Ladybug received an American Girl doll that has been retired for almost two years!

She requested a pony cake this year:

I loved the look on her face when she realized that there were trick candles on her cake!

She did succeed in extinguishing all of them (eventually):

Happy Birthday Ladybug!