James’s Third Birthday

I can’t believe this boy is already three!  It seems like just yesterday that he was born.  For his birthday celebrations, we kept asking him what he wanted.  He said a cake, and for his presents, he wanted applesauce.  He has been anxiously awaiting his birthday for months, and on the Fourth of July, he kept asking if the flags, the fireworks, the flag cake, the star sugar cookies, etc. were for his birthday.  He was excited when the big day was finally here! 

In the morning, Shane took him to Sesame Donuts to pick out some donuts for breakfast. 

 

He opened his gifts from us and from grandmas and grandpas after breakfast and before he went to work.  He got some train track and trains from us, a baseball tee, soccer goal, and football from Grandma and Grandpa Malan and Kelly, and some vehicles that you build using an automatic drill from Grandma and Grandpa Morris. 

After asking him several times, and hearing several “applesauce” responses, James did finally tell Shane that he wanted “a tiny football like you have a big football, Dad.”

           

That night, we had our friends the Kojimas over for dinner and a party.  I was glad that my mom made it back from Seattle and decided to stay one more day to help me get everything ready.  I tried to keep it simple, but there’s not way I would have got it all ready if she hadn’t been there to help!

For dinner:  hot dogs, chips, applesauce, pasta salad, veggie tray, and watermelon.

   

It was so hot again that day, so my frosting was melting and the cake had a hard time staying together.  Oh well!

We played a game of croquet soccer, then threw around some water balloons (thanks to Mom for filling them all up!)

   

After awhile, James decided the game was more exciting if you jumped over the hoops instead.

   

Leela with a soccer ball, and throwing water balloons into the soccer goal:

     

Water balloon toss:  Leela didn’t quite get the game.  She would throw it on the ground and stomp on it each time James gave it to her.  :)  James was a good sport and didn’t seem to mind though.

   

A few of Asher hanging out at the party:

   

Opening presents:  Landon and Davis got him a monster truck crashing track, and the Kojimas got him a cool Lightning McQueen and Mater car.

   

Cake and Ice cream:  the wind picked up right when we did the cake, so we had to light the candles a few times, but we finally got them so James could blow them out.

   

It was a great birthday for this fun three-year-old!  He is already asking when his next birthday is.  :)