Happy Birthday, Joseph!

Joseph turned three two weeks after Halloween. He had been looking forward to his birthday for some time. (What age is it that we stop looking forward to our b-days? I haven't reached it yet.)

Joseph requested a baseball cake for his birthday. I have to admit that my creativity levels are low. Too many withdrawals and not enough deposits have turned me into a drained woman! Luckily, it was a cake for a 3-year-old, so it was pretty much going to be a hit, no matter what I did.

I relied on my common use of colored coconut. I'm glad everyone here likes coconut enough to not complain about it! (Coconut reminds me of Thailand now.)

I made the glove with graham cracker crumbs and put our only baseball right on top. (I washed it first and used a piece of Glad Press 'n' Seal under it to keep it from actually touching the cake.)

While the cake is a very important, even critical, part of the celebration, it is not the most anticipated. Joseph was a very normal little boy, and expected something fun to open. We obliged.

Leah gave him one of her coloring books. Our kids are pretty good about finding something of theirs to wrap up for each other. Joseph didn't care that most pages were already colored. He was happy to be thought of. So "regifting" is not a bad word in our house...it's a way to show love!

During the summer, the kids participated in some free art classes at the library. They dropped paint on pillow cases one day and I threw in a piece of fabric for Joseph. I made it into a pillow for him. I think Sarah was showing him how to use it!

In addition to his name blanket (another family tradition), and the requested piggy bank, Joseph was showered with love and well wishes.

Daniel won the fight to be the one to record it.

It was finally time for the cake.

The birthday person gets to cut and serve their own cake.

It's a big job for a little boy. Daddy helped.

And Joseph didn't mind at all. He just wanted some cake!

That was one and a half cake mixes!

Happy Birthday, Joseph! We love your sense of humor and can't get enough of that big twinkle in your bright blue eyes. We're glad you started talking and were potty trained this year. You are getting bigger and bigger every day! You are such a sweet big brother and a stinker little one. We love you.