Happy Birthday

This is a busy time for us in the birthday department (which means the new year must be a pretty inspirational time for us!)...Morgen, Micah and Noble all have birthdays within 8-17 days of each other. Not only are their birthdays all bunched together, they are flanked by sweets-filled holidays (so must we really have cake too?). And then there's the awful truth that they are simply not the first boy and first girl who get all the first fruits of my imagination and parenting inspiration (perhaps they don't know to start demanding it months in advance). So sometimes I feel like they get a bit shafted with the birthday celebrating. I have to say though, that I am enjoying the challenge of carefully watching and listening to each child for what makes them unique and what I love about each one. They are all so different! I love them all equally but in different ways and for different reasons. I like that I am being challenged by the troupe to plan ahead and manage our time and resources because-- and I am appreciating this too-- the weight is on my shoulders to show them that they are special and loved unconditionally, and there is such a short window to do that before the foundation is laid and they are off building upon it.

MORGEN is FIVE! ....independent, creative, morning light!

Morgen has a great preschool teacher, Teacher Marge, who gifted Morgen a book on her birthday. Morgen wore one of her new princess dresses from Grammy to school, and she was celebrated with a birthday crown and a song!

Morgen wanted a Princess Party at Chuck E. Cheese's, so that's what she got! She changed princess dresses, wore her crown ALL day, and enjoyed running around CEC with a few of her friends. She even put up with Chucky for a minute, even though she refused to give him a high-five.

Tiny little things are thoughtful gifts from friends.

Mommy made a princess cake; Morgen added the sprinkles.

MICAH is FOUR! ....snuggling, energy, pure joy!

Micah got Blue sitting at the beach playing guitar (I just cannot get the layer-cake thing right! Why is my frosting always oozing off the cake?!). He made sure I knew what he wanted (after changing his mind about five times): "I want Blue's Clues! I want candles!" He was pretty excited to find a candle in the shape of a four on his cake! Four is his new number, you know.

The boy loves books! He was so excited (as were the rest of the kids) to get a bunch of new books from Grammy...including a gross one all about worms.

Since Taylor recently got a cool new wallet (like Daddy's) he decided to give his old one to Micah. "Hey, just like Tay-duh's!!" Micah exclaims. "Bob duh Bil-duh!"

"I'm getting ice cream!" he plans out loud to himself, singing the Bob the Builder theme song while he stuffs the $5 bill from Gramma & Papa in his wallet.

He was stoked to try out his very own Big Wheels (sin pantalones, of course!)