My Birthday Boys

My Boys' Birthday weekend was, in a word, hectic!  Daddy was very sick the night before his birthday with what we THOUGHT was food poisoning.  We figured out it WASN'T food poisoning when Mommy woke up very early the morning OF Daddy's birthday with the same symptoms.  NO FUN!  The virus seemed to go as quickly as it came, so even though neither of us were feeling 100%, we still went out to eat at Daddy's favorite Italian restaurant, Napoli's!  It was supposed to be a surprise party, but Daddy has learned to read Mommy too well over the last 12 years, so the surprise was ruined.  We still had a great time, though with our wonderful friends!! After dinner we went to see Robin Hood...it was actually a pretty decent movie...and I'm not even a fan of Russell Crowe!  Daddy had already gotten a few small gifts from Mommy and he got his cards and his gift from Malachi (a bubble mower) that morning.  We have talked about having a bubble mower for our children for as long as we could remember and now, Malachi is old enough to get out and help Daddy in the yard.  I can't wait to get some good pictures of the first time they "mow" the yard together!!!  Thanks to our wonderful friends for a good night out and thanks to Lolli and Pop for watching Malachi!

(L to R - Steve & Donna, Melissa & Kurt, Daddy & Mommy!)

Saturday morning was, well, eventful.  We spent most of the day at Lolli's house cleaning and finishing the final touches for the party.  Then it was time for the party!!!

Here's the birthday boy, still unsure about everything and surveying the situation!  And, a REALLY great shot of his shirt.  Isn't it precious?

Once everyone got there, he started to warm up, as long as he had his BAlloon, that is!  CHEESE!!!

Trying to sample his cupcakes early...I don't blame you buddy, they were AWESOME weren't they?

Here's Melissa taking pictures for us with her really cool camera!  Maybe one of these days we'll have some blow money to spend on a nifty item like that.  Not yet, right Melissa?  We've got to keep up that gazelle intensity!!!

Yes, this one is a LOT like the one in my new header...but it shows mine and Malachi's matching dimples!  I think it's the ONLY feature he inherited from me.  He is SO his father!  (Thank the Lord!!  Malachi, you've got a wonderful Daddy who loves you very much!)

Once all the kiddos started to filter in, it was time for some cheap and easy entertainment.  Enter, Lolli with Bubbles!

I just LOVE this action shot!!!!  So many kiddos having SO much fun!

And, here's Malachi signing "More" because Lolli had gone inside...she was hyperventilating from blowing all those bubbles!!!  hahaha

And, since Lolli couldn't "hear" his sign language inside,  he thought he'd just holler for her!

Finally it was time to open presents...with as much patience as a 2 year old has for opening multiple presents!

After presents, all the kiddos sat down to eat on the tarp in Lolli's living room.  I'm telling you, this might have been our best idea!  All the kids sat on a big tablecloth and when they were done, we picked it up and tossed it!  So easy and it protected her carpet!!!

Dear Malachi,

I can't believe you are already two years old.  Every single day it seems you are doing something new!  You're learning SO FAST!!  You've been fully potty trained for about a month now and are doing so well with that!  You LOVE your Thomas and Elmo underwear and haven't had an accident in a VERY long time!!!  Your vocabulary is increasing every day and you're starting to speak in sentences more and more often!!  Your first sentence was "Bye Bye Choo Choo Train" while waving out Lolli's office window to the choo choo!  Every morning Daddy puts you in your carseat and you say "Kiss?  Kiss?" until he finishes buckling you in.  Then, you get your kiss, you give him a hug and he closes the door.  As we're backing out, you always say "Bye Bye Daddy" and blow him a kiss...and then you and I call the bus and the choo choo until we see one of them.  (Usually it's the school bus...so if there's no train, you just say, "Bye Bye Choo Choo or, Choo Choo Bye Bye" and we head into daycare!)  At night we've taught you how to sit by your bed and put your hands together while we pray.  Then, it's your turn to say "Thank You Jesus!" followed by a VERY excited "aMEN" - emphasis on the "MEN"!  You love to eat Chos (Cheerios) and Pink (Cap'n Crunch - don't ask me where that came from...) for snacks, as well as Puffcorn and Goldfish.  You're in size 6.5 shoes, 24 month/2T shirts and you're between 18-24 month pants.  You're wearing a LOT of track suits right now (when it's too cool for pants...which won't last much longer) because your legs are so long, but you're so skinny!  We have to roll most of your shorts at least once in order for them to fit snug under your little belly!  Your 2 year checkup was last Friday and you weigh 29 pounds (62%) and are 37" tall (88%)!!  You still love music and love to dance and your favorite shows are Thomas the Train, Curious George, Little Einsteins and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!  You know many of your shapes by sight and can pick out AND NAME a triangle, rectangle, diamond, circle, oval (your favorite), star, heart and square!  You know all of your main colors including black, brown and pink and we got a compliment on you a few weeks ago after church because the nursery workers were so impressed with you!  You talk ALL the time...hmm, wonder where you got that!  Although you're testing the waters with us, it's not often and you're a pretty fast learner that Mommy and Daddy aren't playing around.  Malachi, you are an absolute joy and my favorite time with you is rocking you at night still.  You LOVE your Daddy and would prefer him to do EVERYTHING if it were possible!  I only get to rock you SOME nights - Daddy gets preference!  You are SUCH a loved little boy and have NO lack of people to spoil you!  I could not be more thankful for you and can't believe it's been 2 whole years!!  I love you my sweet handsome!

Mommy