Thirteen days after Adik’s third birthday, we had a small party for friends and neighbors.
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday02.jpg:Excited about the party!:center:0]]
* Mouse over the pictures for captions
In the morning, we take a short break during the frenzied preparation for the party. I had just returned from my first solo trip away from Vin and the kids that Friday night and Sunday afternoon was the party. You can imagine the crazed amount of clean up and food preparation and whatnot that had to happen.
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday01.jpg:Happy together during the break:center:0]]
And then it was time for the festivities!
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday03.jpg:Papa lights the candle:center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday04.jpg:Happy Adik while we all sing the Happy Birthday song:center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday05.jpg:Deep breath in!:center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday06.jpg:The candle was blown out in one go!:center:0]]
And if you noticed, this is not our usual Graeter’s ice cream cake. The Graeter’s location in Springboro that had been our usual Graeter’s had been closed down, and I only found out on Saturday afternoon when I pulled into its parking lot to find the store completely empty. Luckily the Dorothy Lane Market was right across the street so I was able to buy a cake (that ended up being quite yummy and chocolatey!) and so did not have to add “bake a cake” to my already long list of to-dos for the party. So this was our very first birthday party for either child that did not feature a Graeter’s ice cream cake. I think our guests were slightly disappointed. We will have to find an alternative store location. Bah, humbug.
Anyway, back to the party! Many thanks to Natalie for taking most of the photos below as Vin and I were running around trying to be good hosts, and how lucky were we that Natalie is a professional photographer and artist! Her only limitation was that she was shooting with our little PNS camera :-).
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday07.jpg:Time for presents!:center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday08.jpg:Bugging Papa to hurry up and get the toy out:center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday09.jpg:A new saxophone! Thank you Auntie Lil!:center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday10.jpg:Immediately started to play it:center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday11.jpg:A new money jar! Thank you Keith and Maria!:center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday12.jpg:Mama helps undo the ribbon:center:0]]
Even Yaya received some presents!
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday13.jpg:Adik flips through Yaya’s new Peppa Pig book (Thank you Barb, Ben, Stuart and Claire!):center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday14.jpg:Yaya helps Adik start to rip the wrapping paper:center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday15.jpg:Inspecting the Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus boardgame:center:0]]
Here are some of our guests:
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday22.jpg:Hugs for Liliane and Maria:center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday23.jpg:Jeanne and Natalie and me:center:0]]
The party is winding down so the kids get down to the most important business at hand: playing with the new toys.
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday16.jpg:Giving the new drum set a try:center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday17.jpg:Science Lab kit (for Yaya, Thank you Auntie Lil!):center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday18.jpg:Kinetic sand! (or as Adik calls it, “squishy sand”):center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday20.jpg:Back to the drums!:center:0]]
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday21.jpg:Fully absorbed in drumming:center:0]]
We had a lovely time! Again many many thanks to the party guests, none of whom came empty handed and all with thoughtful and fun gifts! Also many thanks to all our friends and family who emailed, called, sent gifts, cards, and ecards to help Adik celebrate his 3rd birthday! We are lucky and blessed to have such amazing people in our lives and cannot thank you all enough! Happy 3rd birthday to Adik! We love you, baby boy!
[[image:2015_adik3rdbday19.jpg:Uno! Dos! Tres! Catorce!:center:0]]
