4

This last week, Tyler turned 4.  It was a pretty special day and we sure enjoyed making is special and celebrating it with him.  Around here, we decorate for birthdays.  When I was talking to Tyler about it on Thursday night, Chad overheard and begged me to wait to decorate until he got home from school the next day.  This . . .

is the finished result.  Tyler stared at it all and said, "This is all for me." 

We started off Tyler's birthday with a Lowe's Build and Grow activity.  We sure love going to these, so it was extra special that there happened to be one on Tyler's birthday. 

Next, we headed to lunch. We have started a tradition that in our family, the birthday boy (or girl) gets to choose a restaurant and we all go to a birthday lunch. I had guide Tyler's choice a little this time because this month, we also celebrated my grandma's 90th birthday, and there was a family lunch planned for her and all the other January birthdays on Tyler's birthday. Since the restaurant had already been chosen, I basically spoon fed him that restaurant as an idea and sold him on it. 

Here he is with his cupcake.  I'm pretty sure he thought we were all there just for him, and he didn't even know that we also sang to 4 other people.  It worked out perfectly. 

This is my grandma Jones, my dad's mom, and my only living grandparent.
  It is pretty special to get to celebrate her 90th. 

After lunch, we headed home to finish the cake and get ready for Tyler's party.  We don't do big "parties" around here, but usually, whatever family is available comes over for cake and ice cream and a few gifts.  But, we DO do cakes around here!  I started the tradition on Chad's first birthday (although I didn't know it would become a tradition) when I made him a giraffe cake.  It was followed by several train cakes, a Lightning McQueen cake, Radiator Springs cake, Mater and the Ghostlight cake, Chick Hicks cake (ya, we had a Cars theme going for a while there) and this year, Tyler wanted an Angry Birds cake.  I get pretty excited about these cakes until about the time to put them together.  They are day long ordeals, but this year, Dave really helped to put it all together and it was nice to not be 100% in charge.  We made the birds (cake balls) on Friday night and Dave assembled the rest on Saturday.  Here are a few pictures of the process and finished product.  

This really became Dave's masterpiece and he actually had to leave the room when I cut it because he was so sad.  Tyler LOVED it, and in every picture of him with his cake, he is staring at it.  He was pretty excited! 

We did a few gifts with grandma and grandpa and cousins  

blew out some candles . . . and called it a night. 

On my children's birthdays each year, I love to look back at their baby books and reminisce about their births and the short little lives so far.  It really feels like just yesterday that this little guy joined our family. 

Tyler is so much fun!  He is such a silly little boy and he always says the funniest things.  He has the most amazing blue eyes and he still loves to be held and cuddled.  I'm so glad the Lord entrusted me with this handsome little man to love and raise.  Happy Birthday Tyler!