More than a handful: A 6th birthday for the Little Professor

Last week we enjoyed an awesome day with our Little Professor, also known as our eldest son. He marked his sixth birthday, and we sure had a slam-bang time! Well, a slam-bang time for a bunch of kids six and under--and mom and dad, too. I didn't get any pics of the outdoor fun, but you can hopefully enjoy the narrative.

As usual, LP got to open cards and presents throughout the day. After breakfast and his first opening, I asked him what he wanted to do: the park or the library. "The library!" he said, a little to my surprise. So the kids and I trekked over, and he (and Superman and Pearly Girl) got to pick out prizes for the library's summer reading program (good thing I filled out the reading logs before we left!). LP chose three books, thrilled to get another Magic Tree House book ("Christmas in Came-lot," he told me).

LP had originally wanted pancakes and sausage for lunch, but he changed his mind and opted for PB & J--which is what he has almost every day. Easy for mom, that one! We enjoyed eating outside at the picnic table on our newish patio, which was put in in May. (A beyond-huge improvement over the mud hole that's been there for a year and a half.) Then, during quiet time while the others slept, LP and I made "Fire Truck Cookies", since he'd chosen to have those instead of red velvet cake, his earlier choice (I know, Aunt R; I was bummed, too). But we didn't exactly make fire trucks. we used blue frosting instead of red, cut off two corners of each graham cracker instead of one, added golden Oreos (LP's choice) to most instead of regular Oreos, adorned the tops with pretzel sticks instead of licorice, sprinkled nonpareils and red, yellow, blue, and green sparkles all over the tops. We'd thought we were making police cars, but what we made looked way more like race cars--always a favorite here--so hey! Even better!

LP's self-made Birthday Cookie

After we took pics of the cookies, LP wanted to take some pics of his own to show off some of his birthday gifts.

A library pick, for obvious reasons. LP said he'll read it to Pearly Girl and Small Dude.

Another self-evident choice: boys and trucks!

And boys and planes! Dusty as a fire truck plane.

He wanted to do a group shot. All layouts and button-pressing done by LP.

After the others woke up, we went to the pool for some swimming ginormous sand castle fun, came home and grilled out for another round of picnic awesomeness. Papa played soccer with the boys before bed, and all in all, LP had a good day. Actually, near bedtime he told me, "I've had a GRREEEAAAT birthday!" And it was. We are so thankful for our son and the six years he's lived outside the womb!

Sibling excitement

 

"What is it?"...

"A harmonica!!" Thanks, Grandpa E.!

Superman made pictures, a card, and picked some of his toys
 to give to LP. He "wrapped" them in the bucket.

 

Nice monster truck!

A happy six-year-old!

Superman, Four Years Old

April is going out like a sopping, shivering lion here in Minnesota. But we refuse to kowtow to drenching doldrums. Here, we party. Especially when we've got a birthday to celebrate! 

So yesterday Superman and Little Professor helped make Starlight Yellow Cupcakes (no, I don't know why Betty Crocker named 'em that way. They're kinda sparkly once baked, I suppose). Superman picked Papa's apron to wear. Hence "The Rev" and the emblem of the Greatest Football Team Ever.

"Cheeeeeeese!" A.k.a. The normal posed Superman face.

The "Nice for Mommy" posed face.

 My helpers were stellar. They moved a little quick with the ingredients (and for the camera), but didn't spill much and really, really, REALLY enjoyed helping with the mixer on high-seven-speed. (Little Professor kept whispering for Superman to "make it go faster!")

I told them to help me take some selfies. "What's a selfie?" asked Little Professor. Because he spends time reading The Magic Treehouse series instead of Facebook (or analyses of media culture). Anyway, per usual silly boys, they kept making silly faces. So I finally did, too. If you can't beat 'em, silly with 'em!

 

As usual, I forgot to take a picture of the cupcakes going in the oven, coming out of the oven, pre-iced, or even iced. Suffice it to say homemade cake and icing are mucho better than the boxed kind. And green food coloring makes a mess. But a bright, cheerful one.

So the big day came. We like to spread out birthdays here, so there's still presents and cards waiting to be opened in the next few days. Superman had fun playing with stamps this morning, building a monstrous tent house with four blankets and an American flag (disguised as a blue handkerchief), and reading birthday books. His sibs, especially the Little Professor, were so excited! LP even made him a second card, complete with its own envelope and label, that he placed by Superman's pillow during his nap so he'd find it when he woke up. 

Papa came home to pick up Superman to take him to get some eggs--one of his favorite foods--and to give us a little time to do some decorating and last-minute wrapping.  Little Professor hand selected four cars--significance in numbers here--to give to Superman. He wrapped each one in tissue paper. And Superman LOVED them. Brotherly love on display! Then he came home to a little surprise, some gifts, a lot of screeching excitement, and bacon.

Only the really excited kids stand on chairs!

 

I love it!

 And the little sibs didn't want to miss out, either. Pearly Girl kept a close watch. And Small Dude bounced up and down with excitement.

Did someone say "PARTY?!"

We celebrate birthdays with simple things--cake, icing, a few gifts, lots of love. Maybe someday we'll have a no-holds-barred birthday bash, but for now, it's a happy day to spend together, share some squeezes, thank God for His good gift of life.

He wanted eggs and sausage and toast with jam for his birthday dinner. Who wouldn't grin?

 A year is no time and a year is a lot of time. Here's Superman last year with his green cake, and here he is this year with his green cupcake. May you be blessed with many more, our dear son!

Terrific Two

Our Pearly Girl turned two recently. We can hardly believe she's grown into such a big girl already! Here she is almost a year ago (notice the short locks):

...and here she was this summer. She loves her girly stuff, like having her now LONG hair brushed and accessorizing with shoes and scarves, but she LOVES being outside and getting active (and usually dirty. Even eating dirt)! 

In our first substantial snowfall this fall, she and I ventured out into the white stuff. Even when her hands were freezing (and most of the rest of her was, too), every time I asked if she wanted to go in, she'd say, "No!"

A few weeks before her birthday, I finally took her in for a trim. I've learned to have no expectations when the kids go to the dentist or the hair stylist, and Pearly Girl surprised me even so. She sat very still and wasn't bothered in the least by the scissors close to her head (Sam, who cut her hair, was very nice and gentle, so that probably had a lot to do with it. Thanks, Sam!). Her trim looks great, too!

Her birthday fell the day before our annual open house, so she spent most of the day helping me bake. She's a big helper in that department! We enjoyed a nice chicken dinner later and a Ree Drummond chocolate cake just for her, too, along with some snazzy gifts.

Just a little help from Mommy with the candles
(and her brothers, who were blowing from across the table).

With three little boys in the house, we really cherish our little girl! We look forward to watching her grow even more in the days and months and years ahead. 

(Nearly) One-Year-Old Sweetie

Well, our Baby Girl is fast approaching her big one-year mark, so I thought I'd compile some fairly recent pictures of her before that milestone is long gone.

C starting taking steps by herself on Saturday, November 3. She'd been standing by herself (randomly standing up in the middle of the room with no assistance) and creeping (holding on to furniture and walking) everywhere, so we knew she could do it. Papa and I were sitting downstairs while the kids played, and she crawled over to the coffee table. Except she didn't make it. Instead, she stopped, stood up, and took two steps to reach it. We think she forgot that she wasn't crawling. In the last week, she's gone from three or four steps at a time to ten or twelve. So now it's onward-ho to staggering, running, and general speediness for little C! Happy early birthday, Sweetheart.

 

 

And to think: just yesterday (it seems), she was only this big!