Benjamin is Four!!!

Before I begin with the "birfday" picture fest, I had to share this one of the kids. Yes, the ladybugs apparently wintered over at our home again, and this, my friends, is the first ladybug house of the year. The boys were so proud. Sam thought the ladybug needed a drink and flooded the house...the ladybug did not survive. Flooding has been a common theme for Sam lately. Yesterday, she left an inch of water on the kitchen floor after washing her hair. Of her own accord. Probably for the best considering all the syrup caked there after her post-breakfast "lick-everyone's-plates-as-she-clears-the-table" incident. Am I rambling?


Yesterday was Benjamin's birthday!!!! The birthday fairy must have visited during the night because Benjamin woke up unusually cheery and loud and the mood stuck around all day. (When we got to opening the presents it turned sort of ugly and ungrateful and MINE, MINE, MINE...but we'll give him some leeway because he's only four!) Anyway, we started the day with pancakes and strawberries. (Hence the aforementioned plate-licking.) Yum!

Then Benjamin had a playdate with his very best friend. They played playdough. Suprise! Benjamin made a cake and started singing, "Happy Birfday to Benjamin!" He didn't stop singing for the rest of the day. He also ate cupcake #1.

(Hee, hee...in these pictures you can see Sam's newly "washed" hair and self-proclaimed "pretty" 'do!)

Later that evening Benjamin enjoyed being serenaded via the phone by his grandparents. (I had been waiting all day for that phone call. Seriously, phone in hand. And I cried. How embarasing...I'll blame it on the pregnancy hormones.) Then my family came over--even Lindsey, Coleson, and Amelia (who flew up here to suprise my mom for her birthday last week)--for cake and ice cream and presents. All Benjamin asked for was a "remote control Batman motorcycle."

He had to settle for some Batman stuff and a remote control truck...which truck's batteries we ran out today enjoying the new toy...and, naturally, cupcakes #2 and #3.

In addition to the gifts, the older kids took it upon themselves to write all the things they loved about Benjamin on hearts and tape them to his door. I think the significance was lost on Benjamin, but it was a sweet, sweet thing for my kids to do.

Now it wouldn't be a birthday without mentioning my fabulous frugal-ness (aka making do with being poor and not minding being a little white trash). Benjamin wanted Batman cupcakes. So, I made cupcakes with chocolate frosting and white sprinkles. I told him the chocolate was the night sky and the sprinkles were bats. He loved it! Score! And I forgot to serve the ice cream, which means chocolate milkshakes for Luke and I after the kids go to bed tonight!

All in all Benjamin seemed to have a wonderful birthday...we all had a good, busy day. Today we're taking it easy and eating the remainder of the cupcakes. Happy Birthday, Benjamin!!!