Happy Birthday Jack!

Today my eldest turns 3!

Despite the fact that we've added two additional siblings and lived in three different houses during his lifetime, it still seems like he arrived only yesterday.

I'll never forget the moment I first held him ... and how he instantly changed our lives for the better.

Three years later he's still changing us.  Helping us to view life from a different vantage point.  Challenging us to make self improvements because little ones are watching.  Motivating us to create a better world for our kids to grow up in.  Compelling us to stop and enjoy the little things that make life so grand.

We had a low-key birthday this year.  Thankfully Marmie and Poppa were around to celebrate earlier this week.  And thankfully Sister decided to arrive early and not encroach on the festivities.  Now it's just up to me to make sure one October's birthday never overshadows the other for the next 70-some years ...

Marmie just whipped up this ice cream roll cake one afternoon.  Jack's in to bugs lately.  He named this one "Fred."

And of course Jon had to make a big deal about the first slice of cake and who wanted to eat "Fred's butt."  So now Jack likes to walk around saying, "I eat Fred's butt" all day. 

At 3 years old Jack's just starting to realize that a birthday is a very cool thing.  And that it means celebrating YOU.  By the time we got to singing the birthday song and bringing out the candles, he was a pretty proud little guy.



Of course, on the other side of the table we had another little boy who was starting to feel a bit left out. 

We took pity on him and gave him his own candle to blow.  Well, instead of putting it out he just kept pointing and waving his hands saying, "Hot, hot!" 

And then there were the presents.  Oh, the presents!  A lawnmower so he can help Daddy out in the yard.

A giant puzzle.

Legos, a book, and "The Lion King."

Which he held to us chest and, swaying back and forth, said, "I so, so love it!"

From that point on nothing else mattered except for the promised movie night with "popcorn!"  Which is exactly how we ended our day.

We're so proud of our little guy and all that he's become these past 3 years.  And we eagerly anticipate the many years to come.  Jack, I "so, so love" being your mom!