Back to Back Birthdays

I still remember three years ago trick or treating with the kids, amidst serious contractions, walking from door to door but wanting nothing more then to call it good and go home.   

Every house we went to, someone would joke and ask "when was I ever gonna pop?" (I hate that phrase:)    John would then joke back about how determined he was to keep me walking all night long if he had to, so long as it induced labor.   

John really REALLY wanted to share his Halloween Birthday with our little baby, and it was quite apparent that that was a distinct possibility.   

Unfortunately, I couldn't quite make that happen for John, as Nate decided to arrive in the wee hours of November 1st.    

Still though, it's pretty fun to celebrate these two boys so close together.  

 With Halloween carnivals, trick or treating, John's Birthday and then finally Nate's birthday....it really makes for a Week of  long PARTY!!!!

Naturally, I had to make the obligatory carrot cake with cream cheese frosting...in the shape of a ghost... with flaming eyes!   (Ever since John was a young boy his Mom would make him a carrot ghost cake with flaming eyes, and I've always tried to carry that on, despite the fact that my cake obviously pales in comparison to what he got growing up;) 

Nate was a complete menace on his birthday, and literally demanded that everybody remember that it was HIS birthday!!!!   (I suppose, given the fact that he's been asking for the past 364 days if "today was his birthday" he was a bit entitled to revel in the moment. But it seriously got annoying:)

A lot of mothers blog about their kid's when they have a birthday, and share all sorts of wonderful developmental milestones that their kids have passed.  It's always makes for such a sweet read so I figured I'd do that too and share a little bit of who Nate is at this point in his life.   

So...at THREE years of age - Nate can:

*  Say most anything he wants to say, his vocabulary is really quite broad.  

(His favorite words are: No, Dangit, "Ok Poopy Pants," and GET OUT!) 

*  He LOVES to play with kids.  (...so long as they don't touch his toys, but share all of theirs:)

* Can terrorize an entire nursery full of kids.   ...with ease;)

* Can ride a "Big Boy" pedal bike all by himself, and would cruise all the way to his Aunty Jewel's if we let him

* Can say prayers by himself (though I hope God has a sense of humor:)

* He can hide under clothes racks in shopping stores like nobody I've ever seen

* He LOVES animals, and stares out our window watching our neighbors dogs for hours on end

*  He's obsessed with his cousin Dane.

* Can do a somersault off our couch

* He doesn't like to ever be alone

* Can color quite well.  Especially when permanent markers, the wall, or his Face are involved:)

*  He gives the BEST kisses on the cheek 

* He gives the best apologies EVER.   (Practice will do that:)

* at this point in his life, he still thinks the world revolves around him

* He absolutely melts my heart with his big brown eyes!

Happy Birthday!!!!