I love my kids birthdays. Naturally, since we’re kind of just crazy about them, a day filled with time together doing things they love is very fun!

Here are some favorite moments from the day…

Kaden’s view

And up.Waking up & seeing his balloons.

Spotting his presents & opening one at a time, sauntering over to the pile in his monster jammies to retrieve another after each one.

His audience. 
Daddy made him a special lock-box. Has 5 different locks on it. Lord knows, this boy loves locks.I’ve realize giving him cards how much he pays attention to the pictures when we read. He told me Thing 1 & Thing 2 were running with a kite. In the book in that pose, they have kites. Learning the art of Lincoln Logs. He’s gonna love another building-sort of toy.The balloons were a big hit.I tried to explain to Kaden how he could make a wish for something he hoped for when he blew out the candles. Like a toy or something else fun. Someone else suggested another baby brother or sister. Kaden wished for strawberries. Good choice, K 😉
Clarissa & Faith’s gift to Kaden…2 goldfish. After watching Finding Nemo he wanted a fish. He named them “spaghetti” and “jump jump”.Faith’s card cracked me up.Legos & trains. That is a hard combination to beat.Birthday celebration, phase 2: bounce house.
Kaden has the very best aunts & uncles. Surprise 🙂 “Mimi, do you want to ride on the back?” He takes distributing party hats very seriously.Jump, jump, jump around. This little squirt wants to put everything in her mouth. I told Kaden around 2:30 that his friends were coming over at 4. He asked me every few minutes until then “is it 4 o’clock yet?” Jumping with joy as they walked through the door.
Happy birthday to you…

Side thought, every once in awhile I feel like I pray something just not at all important. Like when we were on our Disney Cruise & I really wanted to see a dolphin. I’d been to the ocean plenty & taken several cruises but had never seen a wild dolphin & prayed something like “God, I’d really like to see a dolphin. I mean, it really doesn’t matter and there are much more important things, but I’d like to see a dolphin.” And a few minutes later as I was unpacking our bag, Landon called out from the balcony there were dolphins. I ran out and got to see them jumping along the side of the ship maybe 7 or 8 times. Well, the past few days Alia will not sleep without me. I get up, she wakes up. I had her to sleep around 8:30 last night, tried to get up a few times, she’d wake up. Around 8:56 I prayed, God, this has been a great day, and this is not all that important, but I’d really like to be with Kaden at 9:01 so I can give him a kiss and tell him that I’m so glad he was born three years ago, right now. 9:00, I got up, Alia stayed asleep, and I got my kiss <3 Sometimes it’s the little things that make you feel so loved.

Three. So excited for all this year will bring…