Happy Birthday Boo!

It was NB's birthday on April 10th, but we celebrated for two days (as we often do around here...I LOVE birthdays!).  I decided to wait to make a birthday post so I could capture all the fun.  Besides, let's face it, I've gotten pretty slack about posting lately, and I was afraid I'd not get the party pictures up for 6 months.  Also, Nanny K was with us all that week.  What a sweet treat it was to have her here.  She wouldn't miss a birthday if she could help it.  We all soaked up as much of her joy and love as we could.

Although we've done two big birthday parties with guests for LO, we started out small.  We wanted to keep things small for Boo this year too.  This might be his last "family only" party or we might do one more next year.  Truly we would not have started inviting guests for LO until he turned five except that we were about to move and his fourth birthday party was as much about filling our time with his sweet"first friends" as it was about having a birthday.

In any case, Boo's party was just for family this year, and it was laid back and fun as far as I can tell.  DH had to work on the 10th, and we wanted to make the day still feel special for Boo.  In addition to sending cake pops (yes, Starbucks cake pops...no I can't believe I sent them) to school for his class, DH suggested we have Papa and Lah-oo over for dinner.  They have been joining us for dinner every other week since January, and its become a time to which we all really look forward. So we had family/house guest dinner Friday night, then playtime with Grams and Aunt Cat un Saturday.  (We had an extra house guest for the week...Nanny K falls under the "family" category)

Several months ago, I asked Boo what he wanted to have for his party and all he could talk about was "sprinkles."  I didn't even know he knew about sprinkles, but decided that "sprinkles" were just as good of a party theme as any.  So the "sprinkles" party was on, but as the date neared, I felt like we didn't have much of a party planned.  We had family driving for hours to celebrate with us, but I didn't feel like anything would be happening when they got here.  I turned to the birthday boy again, and asked what he wanted to "do" for his party.  "Play," he responded.  "Duh!" I thought.  I took for granted that he meant playing with us, and so, on party morning, set up a few stations for him to do things he likes to do with whomever at the party wanted to join him.  It was a hit, I think. It was easy, low stress, and, best of all, my littlest guy got to spend time doing what he loves with the people he loves.  I think that's what the best birthdays are all about.

So here's what Boo turning three looked like, with a few extra Nanny K pictures from the week thrown in for good measure. : )

Special birthday breakfast, scrambled spinach eggs with feta, blueberry lemon muffin top, and fruit salad

Breakfast bar pick with three of my favorite bedheads

Boo loved his birthday decorations.  He kept calling them "ga-bloons"

Birthday night dinner.  A new tradition for us, the birthday boy gets to choose the menu. Boo chose soba noodles, watermelon, and chocolate ice cream. 

We also had mini banana muffins.  He blew out that candle like a pro; no prompting required from the rest of us.

Drinking the melted chocolate ice cream... 

Yum!  Papa sure makes great ice cream!

Party morning play.  Blocks and trucks with Mama and brother.

Birthday party boy, outfit one. (There were lots of outfit changes on party day) Nanny K made the party crown, and we hope it will be a birthday boy special treat over the years. 

Nanny K's gift was some superhero undies, and a bug vacuum.  How fun is that?

Boo loves this bumblebee flashlight.  I love that he'll finally leave my flashlights alone.

Thanks Grams and Gramps!

Brother helped dole out the party gifts. 

Boo's birthday painting...

Aunt Cat's (top) and Nanny K's (bottom)

Brother and Da's.

 While everyone else was painting, I was setting out the party snacks, with sprinkles galore.

Choclate covered strawberries w sprinkles, peanut butter chocolate dipped apples w sprinkles, peanut butter on bananas and apples with sprinkles for dipping

spooning sprinkles on yogurt...

drinking sprinkles in milk...

peanut butter, chocolate dipped pretzels w sprinkles...

and one happy sprinkles party boy.

Who loves you?

Party guests

Banana cake, with sprinkles and "3" because our Boo would eat bananas all day long if we let him.

Waiting for his birthday cake after nap.

Look what UPS brought?  Aunt Cat's gift, an apron just like brothers!

And a rock box gift from Mama and Da.

Wearing the cheesiest hats I think we've ever owned, and loving them.  (It's hard to see, but they have capes) Thanks Dad and Lah-oo? 

Racing cars with brother.  

Playing with the bug vacuum.  They captured a worm, spider, and an ant...guess who won?

 

Boo swinging into his fourth year like the daredevil he's meant to be.

Lastly, in honor of Boo's birthday, I thought it fitting to give him a new blog name.  It just doesn't seem right to keep calling him "newbie" when he's anything but new.  In case you haven't guessed, I think I'll be calling him "Boo" now. Happy Birthday Boo.  You bring joy, excitement, bugs, mud, and grey hairs to our life, and we are grateful for every day we get to share with you. May you have many, many more.