Birthday Marathon

With two birthdays only five days apart, we have a crazy time around here. The celebrations lasted almost two weeks this year. Colin's birthday was first. We've started a tradition of going out for lunch with the birthday child choosing the location. I know Colin's first choice is always Cici's, but we were in the middle of "Snowmageddon II" (snicker) so he had to settle for the Heartland Point Cafe right next to his school. He didn't mind though. He still got some pizza, and when the woman at the cafe noticed the sticker on his shirt declaring that it was his birthday, she threw in some great big iced cookies for both the kids.Colin's birthday just happened to fall on the same day as his Valentine's party at preschool. There was some confusion on his part as to the point of the party. He came home and told me that they had a big celebration for his birthday and everyone gave him birthday cards. I tried explaining that the cards were for Valentine's Day, but Colin would have none of it. He'll figure it out eventually. Here's Colin proudly displaying his birthday crown from school and his balloon. I've been trying to get the kids to think about the feelings of others and not be so focused on themselves. This is never an easy task when it's just sin nature to think of ourselves first. I took Riley to the grocery store while Colin was at school and asked her to pick out a balloon for her brother. At first, she just wanted to get one for herself, but with a little coaxing she selected a "Cars" balloon for Colin. He was thrilled with her choice. When Jeff got home from work, Colin was allowed to open his presents. Now that he's a big boy, we figured it was time to get him his first firearm - of the Nerf variety. It's a little difficult for him to fire, but he'll figure it out soon enough and be terrorizing the cats in no time. Here's one more picture of Colin's day. He loves all things related to the movie "Cars." The weekend between the kids' birthdays, we had a family party. Here's Colin and Pop-pop checking out some photos together. Can you guess who picked out the farm complete with horses for Riley? (If you said Memaw, you're right.) The kids and I have a lot of fun playing with that one.

Being a girl, Riley actually looks at her cards and wants to know who gave them to her. Colin, on the other hand, usually checks for money or stickers. Do you see the bubble wrap in the background? When my family asked what the kids wanted for their birthdays, I replied, "Oh, they just like eating M&Ms and playing with bubble wrap." (Really, the kids have plenty of toys.) Well, that what they got, along with some other nice gifts. Everyone was amused that the kids were truly thrilled with the bubble wrap. Some has been popped and some has been used for a craft project. Maria and Riley paused long enough for Daddy to get a picture. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with Jeff's photography skills. It helps to have such cute subjects too.
I couldn't leave out Maya. Can you say, "Don't hate be because I'm cute as a button." Here's the alligator cupcake cake for the party. Does anyone else hate slicing and serving cake? Perhaps I'm just weird about that. Cupcakes are the perfect solution.
The following week was Riley's birthday. Again, we had a lot of snow and icy roads, so for her birthday lunch we went through the drive-thru at McDonanlds. This would have bummed me out a little had it been my birthday lunch, but for a three and five-year-old, chicken nuggets and a surprise toy are way better than a boring old restaurant where you have to sit down and wait for your food. Again there was great anticipation while we waited for Daddy to get home from work so the presents could be opened. It seems that once again, one of the cats has to get in on the action. Riley can't wait for a shower now with her new princess umbrella. The ballon was picked out by Colin. Riley loves all things Disney Princesses, although she's cried through both Sleeping Beauty and the Little Mermaid, and when given a choice of toys, she'll pick a truck any day of the week.Riley had been asking for a scooter "just like Ethan's." She was a little disappointed that several feet of snow were preventing her from riding outside. This was the first year Riley had an honest-to-goodness-birthday-party-with-just-her-friends. She invited six of her friends from school and church. She wanted to invite three times as much but unfortunately out little house can only hold so many.

Riley decided she wanted a Sleeping Beauty theme for the party and then promptly named several boys she wanted to come. I knew just how thrilled the boys would be with princesses so I had to be a little creative. The girls were given crowns as favors and the boys got glow-in-the-dark swords. Riley asked me to make a pinata that looked like Sleeping Beauty, but I pointed out that beating a princess with a stick until she spilled her innards was a little morbid. She then decided that we should have a dragon pinata. I readily agreed to this without considering the logistics of making a pinata shaped like a dragon. At one point in the construction, it was described as a "chicken vomiting tissue paper," but in the end I think it was recognizable as the evil Maleficent. The girls had Sleeping Beauty cupcakes and the boys got Prince Phillip. Prince Phillip is wide awake because he can hear the dragon coming. (He looks a little like Mr. Bill's Medieval cousin.) I gave Phillip a shield with his initial on it. I was going to put "PP" for Prince Phillip, but then I had visions of the boys yelling, "I have pee-pee on my cupcake!" and thought better of it.Riley had a great time at her party. I think the other kids did too. Poor Colin was supposed to be a part of the action but was sick and quarantined upstairs the whole time. (You know a kids sick when he naps with seven screaming children right downstairs.) Riley is already planning her sixth birthday party. At least I have a whole year to recover before the next one.