Little Man and the Birthday





We have a birthday tradition in our family of tying a big bunch of bright balloons on the birthday child's chair and leaving a special small gift at their breakfast plate.  When they wake up and come upstairs to the dining room, they get so excited to see the balloons and gift, and it just sets the tone for the whole fun day.

 The Spud's fourth birthday was a couple of weeks ago.  On the morning of his special day, I set about making pancakes for the crew.  The Drama Queen came into the kitchen and casually commented, "Hey, I guess it isn't his birthday today after all.  There aren't any balloons on his chair."  My heart dropped.  How had I completely forgotten our birthday tradition?  The Nerd hadn't yet left for work, and he overheard her comment.  He disappeared into the bedroom and came out a short while later with a wrapped gift.  "Hey, buddy, we forgot to put this by your plate this morning," he said as he handed it over to an excited Spud.  I mouthed a quick "thank-you" and quickly turned my attention back to the pancakes.  It really wasn't a big deal in itself.
It's just that - poor Spud always seems to get the short end of the stick, especially when it comes to birthdays.  One birthday we only got him one gift - a Cozy Coupe (used, no less).  Apparently we have a tendency to get back on the "get-out-of-debt" wagon during the summer, and it affects poor Spud's birthdays.  Of course, he is the kind of kid that gets a lot of joy (and a lot of mileage!) out of toys, and he never seemed bothered by it.

 This year, we were determined to make it better.  I failed on the balloons front, but we managed to have a fun dinner out that night and spoiled him with lots of gifts, mostly Thomas the Tank Engine in nature.  It wasn't his year for a birthday party, but we surprised him with a trip to Shady Dell Miniature Trains later that week. 

 It was a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, and all the kids were excited to ride the trains at Shady Dell.  Every time I looked at Spud that afternoon, he was grinning from ear to ear.  It was definitely the best way to celebrate his special day.

 I can't believe my little man is four years old.  He is the most stubborn and yet the sweetest little guy.  I count myself so privileged to spend time with him every day and to be his momma.  Often, he will surprise me with a fierce hug and kiss;  the next moment he is running away and shouting no. 
He is passionate about his cars and trains.  I will help him get his tracks all set up early in the morning, and he will drive his trains and cars around for hours on end.  He adores his big brother and sister and usually gives in to what they want. 

He fits perfectly into our family.  I  know that tomorrow morning, he will be the first to greet me with a sleepy hello and a request for cereal.  I absolutely adore him.  Happy birthday, sweet Spud!

Potpourri of the Week #4

Hey summer!  We couldn't wait for you to come, and now that's school's out, it's a pretty mean trick that you haven't come yet.  Please come soon and take away these dreary rainstorms.  We're bored (and driving our mom crazy!)

Yes, it's been one of those weeks.  Little Miss Sprout also thought it would be an opportune week in which to get sick and look extremely pathetic while doing so.  She and I have been embracing the night life, baby! 

So it's time for another Potpourri of the Week post - in which I share my favorite links to blog posts, web articles, books I'm reading, etc.  Let's jump right in!

1.  I love birthdays!  I admit I can get quite carried away when planning a party or family get-together.  But those fun times aren't worth the stress or crazy expenses.  Jessica at Life as Mom shares a great post on 12 Ways to Save on Birthdays.  We have already implemented a lot of these with our kiddos, and I am eager to try some of her other ideas for the multitude of birthdays coming up.

2.  God has really been doing a work in my heart lately.  I feel such a need to study and learn more than ever about the One who created me and sent His Son to die for me.  I am so excited to join in with Mandy at Biblical Homemaking in Walking Through the Gospel: Falling in Love with the One True and Living God series.   As she put it, "we're going to be studying who He is and who we are in relation to Him, and why we need Him so desperately."  So needed.  So desired.

3.  This is a cute tutorial for some adorable wall art.  I think it might be the answer to a sad-looking canvas that's been sitting in my office for the past few months.  I love the words on it, just not the way they look. 

4.  I am hoping that the weather will start admitting that it is indeed summer and warm up so we can hit up the pools and the spray parks!  I was looking at beach towels the other day and was trying to figure out what would work best for my babies' little shivering bodies when they get out of the water. (and then get back in two seconds later!)  Then I saw this tutorial on one of my favorite DIY blogs, Make It and Love It.  Ponchos made out of beach towels?  Yes please!  I'm putting these on my to-do list for the weekend. 

5.  And ahem. . . speaking of summer, this gal's body isn't quite ready.  I could pull out the excuses that "hey, I just had a baby in December" or "I can't find the time to exercise."  Honestly?  I love sweet things and eat them all the time.  I do manage to find time to nap (okay, maybe that one is a myth!), read, blog, facebook, play Words with Friends, watch Netflix, and basically sit around.  A lot.  So this post by Kris at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers was a bit needed.  Motivation, that is. 

And that's it for this week!  Maybe you actually have sunshine where you are - so get out and enjoy it! 

Four Already!

Hey, not-so-little-man! I am amazed that you have reached your fourth birthday already! It seems like just yesterday that I found out I was going to have a boy. We chose the name David because it means "beloved" and because we wanted a strong name for our first boy. I can't imagine calling you anything else - the name David fits you so well.

Happy Birthday! The fourth year of your life has been filled with many wonderful events and surprises. It was also shortly after your third birthday that we got the official diagnosis of high-functioning autism for you. I have watched my three-year-old make incredible leaps and bounds through ESD preschool and therapy. Daily we find new ways to connect and bond with you, and I am so proud and happy that God blessed us with a little superman! Only you would prefer Spiderman, I know.

So here's to a very Spiderman-filled day! I hope you liked seeing your big bunch of balloons and your special Spiderman outfit for the day. I knew you would love the water sword from the dollar store that you've had your eye on for months now. I'll bet you thought your momma would never cave and get you that, did you??

And it's not a birthday in our house unless we get cupcakes for breakfast. I love the way you carefully peeled the wrapper off yours and oohed and aahed over the surprise blue cake! It will be fun to take some of these to share with your classmates at preschool. And later, we will have a big Spiderman cake and open lots of presents at your favorite restaurant.

I hope it all makes you feel super special - because that's exactly the way I felt when the nurse gently laid you in my arms just seconds after you were born. Special.

Happy Birthday, Beast!

Wordless Wednesday - Happy 4th, Drama Queen

So today is your fourth birthday, my little Drama Queen. How is it that four seems so much older than three?

I love that smile - fell in love with it back when you were just a little baby.

You insisted on a Wall-E cake, because that's your favorite movie in the whole world.

Woot! Wall-E sheets for your bed! Mommy can't even begin to tell you how hard stuff like this is to find when a movie isn't in theaters anymore...

And the gift you really really wanted - the Crayola Magic Light Brush set, obviously as cool as it appeared in the commercials!

Aww, let the brothers play a little on your new Wall-E sheets...

I love you, my sweet sweet firstborn! Happy Birthday!