Birthday Fun

Ben turned two this past Tuesday. Every parent, including me, has said this a hundred times, but I have to say it again: it's amazing how fast time flies! I can't believe my little boy is 2-years-old now!

We began the morning with Ben's favorite breakfast, my banana oat pancakes. To make it special, I made his pancake into a "birthday" bear (the only shape I know how to do! :).

When Kevin got home in the evening from working on the boat, we went to Red Robin along with my parents. Since I know Ben is a very picky and usually a very light eater, we didn't order Abby a meal knowing that she could eat at least half of Ben's free birthday meal and get a few bites from our meals if she needed more. Well, she ate ALL of Ben's chicken strips because he wouldn't eat a bite of them and she even got to eat his free birthday Sundae because he refused to even TRY it. Can you believe that? I think I have the pickiest eater ever! At least it made Abby happy. :)

Afterward we headed home where Ben got to open his main present from us: a Cars dvd. He was ecstatic (we'd rented it last fall and he's talked about it ever since!). We all enjoyed watching it before bedtime.

Saturday evening we had a birthday party for him with both sides of the family. Our tradition is that the birthday meal be one of the birthday person's favorite meals, so we got pizza from Costco since Ben seems to devour it anytime we go there. Well.....he wouldn't even take one bite! Sheesh! At least he did enjoy the cake I made him and even asked for seconds. :) And speaking of cake, as I lit the candles and everyone began singing, "Happy Birthday," I realized we hadn't prepped him for blowing the candles out. But as we got to the last line of the song, Ben blew both candles out perfectly and with no slobbering! We were all so surprised! I don't know how he knew when/how to blow, but he did a fabulous job.

Oh, forget the fork - hands get it in much more quickly!

Ben does presents much the same way Abby does: very slowly. He wanted to take lots of time to play with each new toy and examine each new item. Even with our constant prodding for him to move on to the next present, I still think it took about an hour! He also prefers for Abby to do most of the unwrapping for him and would actually give her the present and say, "Open!"

Squealing with glee as he tries out his first remote control car.

We had lots of fun celebrating our special boy and the blessing he's been to us these past 2 years.