Corn on the Cob

Just a few cute shots from the birthday party. The boys LOVE corn-on-the-cob! Me too!!

Birthday Party thoughts.

It was nice to see a happy Tom. It was also great to see him interacting with Jacob (a lot) and the other kids. They really don't get a lot of quality time with their Dad or with our family as a family, which is one of the reasons I really wanted to make sure we did a party, regardless of financial and other concerns. It's a much needed chance for the kids and Tom to relax and have fun with family.

Ideally, I wouldn't have combined a holiday with their birthday party. But it was a way to save on costs and I didn't want to put off having a big celebration too long, it was already two weeks after Leanna's birthday!

I think it's important to make a big deal out of every one's birthdays, you should have at least one day a year to feel special and know that people are glad you were born! I'm not saying you need to spend tons of money or do all sorts of things (but I'm sure it's nice if you are able to comfortably do that), just find a way to make the birthday person happy and celebrated. And while they're young, their birthday celebration is also a celebration for the Mom also (all she went through in order to give this person life!)

Tom told me not to bother with streamers or balloons this year. I did anyway because they're an inexpensive way to make the day different. Kids always love balloons and we only have them at birthdays. Streamers make the house look different and special. It was very worth it because this year I finally managed to put all the streamers up the night before so that when they came down in the morning the whole place was decorated and they loved it! They came down the steps yelling "WOW!" and pointing and laughing, it really made me smile. This year I found poppers for about 1.50, this was the first time I'd seen them. Leanna didn't like them but the boys did. It was cheap entertainment.

I've been putting the most effort into the cakes. It's a way for me to express creativity and my love for my children. I try to find something that reflects their current interests or personality. It is time-consuming, I know I could easily just buy a cake and save myself a lot of time and stress. I'm always finishing up last minute. It's just something I want to do for them. It's a way I choose to show my love for them. It makes me happy to think that one day they can look back at pictures of their parties and see all the different cakes I made just for each one of them.

I'm sure this has it's roots in my grandmother's cakes. She made the best cakes! Hers were professional looking, not like mine! And she didn't have the advantage of the internet to use for help. I"m not sure how many cakes she made for me, I think it was mainly when I was younger. I still remember some of them. I actually asked her to make Leanna's first birthday cake. I wanted Leanna to have what I had-have a loved one make a cake special for her. She was going to but then she got sick right before the party and wasn't able to. I guess cake-making is a small way that my grandmother lives on.

One of the best pictures

Nanny Sue and her lookalike, Timothy

more birthday photos

Leanna with her American Girl doll, Samantha. She also got a doll hair kit that comes with a DVD to show different things you can do with the doll's hair.

Pretty handmade pillowcases Grammy made Leanna. Some of the thread actually sparkles.

Tom's face after opening his favorite present, Dokken cds from Claire. He was very happy with them.

Grammy and Justin

Birthday party pictures

I just liked this picture because of the leg positioning. It doesn't look natural, but she really was walking like that.

Claire and Garrett came home early from the shore, so we got a surprise visit.

My husband and intg-laws. I included this one because it was a picture of them smiling and laughing together.

Playing with grammy

The Birthday girl, so pretty in her sparkly pink dress

The big FIVE YEAR OLD! He's very big, you know!

Nanny Sue and Timmy, I just had to include a picture of that face!

A sweet one of Tom and Jacob

Cakes!

The top view

The iceing looked more purple in person, when I mixed it, it was very purple. Later I looked at it and it looked a little gray.

Leanna's teaparty cake-the teacups have green in them for Mint tea, Leanna's favorite kind!

That's supposed to be a five, not an "S", but other than that, this one was easy and came out great!

They never come out quite how I envision them, but given the amount of time and the tools and knowledge I have (none), I think I do ok.

For the record, it's well known that I collect teapots. This cake was right for Leanna though because every week, at least once, she requests a teaparty. I do not usually oblige. One of these days I will have to let her host a real teaparty. So although I was unable to make her the cake she requested-a Mayan pyramid cake with flamingo dancers-a teapot with teacups seemed an acceptable subsitute. (well, eventually. It took a while to get over the dissapointment) The teacups are edible too (cupcakes).

Two birthday presents

Appropriately enough, presents from both grandmothers. First is Leanna with two of her three Cabbage Patch kids-the one with lots of hair is her birthday present from Nanny Sue. (The other one pictured is a baby Cabbage Patch that I got her the Christmas after Timothy was born so she'd have a baby to take care of too. And the third, not picured, was one I got for $5.00 at a thrift store while I was pregnant with Leanna. I knew I was having a girl and when I saw it I couldn't resist getting the baby one!)

And here is a Rose from Leanna's trip to the Farmer's Market with Grammy and Aunt Cindy on her birthday. Very pretty.

Still not sure about when/if we're doing a party this year........I'd really really hate not to, but we just may not be able to swing it this year.