Harlow's Birthday - Feb 14th

I wish I had recorded Harlow this morning!  I had been awake decorating and getting last minute things ready for his birthday when I heard him wake up and start talking and singing to himself (*He's one happy kiddo in the morning).  (Gotta have crate paper on your birthday, it's just not the same without it! Thanks Mommy for always making our birthday's so special for us growing up and still doing it to this day!  I Love You, You Wonderful Woman!!) I sang him Happy Birthday as I walked into his room and his eyes got big when he saw the streamers.  He sang the song right along with me; he know's that song very well.  I got tears in my eyes as I sang, I was filled with this incredible feeling of love that I have for this little person who has completely changed my life!  And also with the realization that he's 2!  Has it really been 2 years since he was placed in my arms as the tiniest, more perfect little being I had ever held and looked at, Wow!

Right when the song was done he looked at me smiling and said "Balloons! Presents!"  This kid know's birthdays! Don't you agree?  I just had to laugh!  We spent a while running through the streamers together, just laughing away.  Being a Mom of a energetic little guy is so much fun!  Then down to the presents on the table and some yummy breakfast.

the Water Bugs were a hit

(since we just had Christmas and Harlow has pretty much everything he needs we decided to still get him just a few things but to put the money in his bank account...he'll be more grateful for that years down the road, right?)

One of Harlow's favorite breakfasts - Eggs, Toast & Jam!  Yum!

A little birthday get-together at the McDonald's playplace.

(Brielle, Bailey, Harlow & Kolby)

Harlow climbed in there all by himself and started reading himself a story.  Guess someone's really excited to get on the road.  I pulled him out and we went on a walk to get some wiggles out while Nathan checked the oil, tires and such on the car.

*****

February 14th has become an interesting day in our house, and was especially so this year.  It's Harlow's Birthday, Nathan and My Half Anniversary, and Valentine's Day.  (*I normally wouldn't celebrate a Half Anniversary but its kinda fun that it lands on Valentine's Day, which we didn't realize until we'd been married 6 months, went out for a nice Valentine's dinner and put 2 and 2 together).  Well with Harlow's Birthday being today that takes precedence over other things so Valentine's Day has kinda fallen by the way side.  But that's fine by us.  And after Harlow goes to bed Mom and Dad get to celebrate the other two occasions.  

I have a brilliant plan for the future though - We'll have birthday parties for Harlow and invite his friends, telling their parents to have a fun Valentines date night and we'll watch the kids.  Then they'll all owe us a babysitting of Harlow later, we'd get like tons of free date nights out of it! :) Aren't I a Genius!?!

This year was all the more interesting because we had to pack up and head down to Vegas that evening so that we could attend the funeral of a close family friend and second Mom to Nathan - Vonnie Call - the next day and also to visit our Families.  When Nathan got home from work we had a quick Birthday party where Harlow got to open the rest of him gifts, we had pizza, and we loaded up the car.  The drive seemed even longer with my big belly but we did fine.  Harlow was one sad boy, but the iPad entertained him.  Finally he was just so tired and the iPad lost it's fun.  He started crying again but this time for his blanket and pillow.  We gave them to him but it just wasn't the same. "Lay down..lay down".  Poor kid just wanted to go to bed...sorry buddy :(  Sleeping in a car seat is probably not the most comfortable and on your birthday too...

But Las Vegas was a lot of fun and it felt so good to see and spend time with family again.  It has been a long time since we've been down there.  Whitney's Mission farewell was the last time, I'm pretty sure.  We stayed with Mom and Dad Ras, Paul and Grandma.  The weather was beautiful, the funeral was lovely, and time with family was priceless.  Sunday the Ras's and Andersen's all got together and we did a joint birthday party for Harlow - more presents, he loved that. (*it's funny, his birthday got spread out over the entire weekend.  Now that we're back home he continues to ask for presents and balloons.  This kid thinks it's still his birthday :)  )