Birthday Time!

This past week was my birthday, and I turned thirty! Again!

No, seriously - I jest. I turned thirty-one. But my thirtieth birthday last year stank (thank you, NVP!), and I missed it completely. Too sick to celebrate or eat anything special or go anywhere, and the birthday money I received went straight to pregnancy expenses. 

So this year I had my birthday do-over! 

Pictures are below. You may notice that my "birthday," oddly enough, resembles a child's birthday party. That's what happens when you birth a child near your own birthday - you lose your birthday anyhow! So I missed it again. Oh, well. At least I can spend my birthday money this year! I'm planning on spending it on storage boxes for toys. Yes! Corralling toys at last!!! The world is mine! Mwa ha ha ha ha! 

Our eldest with his long-coveted LEGO Apollo Mission kit. Putting it together with Grandpa and Daddy took the whole day!

Four-month-old Moose in the background, bursting out of his 9-month clothes (which have since all been put away):

With the Chublet:

Moose decided to turn over a couple of weeks ago! Both front to back and back to front.

Our eldest's new passion is snakes - thus, a snake cake! Cute, no? Designed by Yours Truly, obligingly decorated by DH's sister, who was in town for the occasion:

Other notes:

- We finally have a pediatrician for sure, hurray! He is awesome, and it's so nice to be settled back with a pediatrician - and an awesome one who respects parental decisions and informed consent (this is so rare with any physician!), and also, oddly enough, really reminds me of our late pediatrician! Awesome!

- This weekend was "The Camping Trip That Wasn't." We planned, we packed, we got a site reservation. And then, today, just an hour before we were going to leave, I checked the campground's website to see if they had barbecues - and found a little notice: "Campground has been closed due to fire danger." Err... Really? So DH called up the main number and learned that when these closures occur, they just quietly refund the money electronically and assume that people are checking the website for these notices! Well, we will be from now on - but it was only by the grace of God that we didn't end up at a closed campground this afternoon!

None of our attempts at alternate plans worked out, so we stayed home, unpacked, and are spending a weekend at home. DH took our eldest to our local pool, and we're going to grill our dinner on the BBQ to make up for our camping trip (*sob*). I'm bummed that we missed the camping trip, but I'm even more bummed that I'm going to have to pack ALL OVER AGAIN! Ack!!!


- We have been taking a friend's suggestion and attending free events at local libraries! So awesome! So far we have seen a reptile show, a show of zoo animals, and a puppet show - all great quality! We have a bunch more planned for the next month.

- Last week was nuts - we hosted our entire family (both sides!) in waves! Lots of fun.

- Every month or so I send a big load of our stuff out the door to Goodwill. But the kid stuff is flowing in faster than I can shovel the excess adult possessions out. However, whenever the kids and their stuff do move out, we will have almost nothing left - and I will be able to revel in true minimalist bliss! Of course, by that time I'll be too old to enjoy it, but I can still look forward to it. :)

I'm sure there's lots more going on, but it's hard to think of with so much noise in the background! (DH and our eldest are watching Steve Irwin's "The Crocodile Hunter" reptile show - what else would a boy with a snake passion choose to watch with Daddy?) Have a wonderful weekend and Sabbath, everyone!