Collin's 3rd Birthday

Collin was ready for his third birthday, counting down the days and practicing showing his age with three fingers prior to the big day.  After a healthy breakfast, I dropped him off at school. 

 

For the most part, his classmates all have birthdays within 3 weeks of each other, and he shares his birthday with his friend Anderson.  We had coordinated so that Anderson's parents were bringing birthday donuts (thus the healthy breakfast - to try and get some non-sugar calories in him for the day), and we were bringing cupcakes.

 

I returned before lunch and happened to catch the class singing "Happy Birthday" to Anderson and Collin. 

Clapping for himself -

My genetics have started showing up . . . he still looks just like his daddy, but requested a CHOCOLATE cupcake over a vanilla one!

After school, we took Collin to a nearby trampoline warehouse.  We've been before over holidays, on Fridays and weekends, and it's always pretty busy.  But on a weeknight, we had the entire place to ourselves.  The trampoline place also has a foam pit in another section, and for the last year, Collin has embarassingly to me, bounced to the edge and then one-foot-at-a-time, cautiously stepped back into it.  It completely defeats the purpose, but he loves going to the pit.  However, now that he was three, he took his first jump into the pit.  Uncle Libero met us at the trampoline place, and he, Cas and I proudly cheered him on!  

When we got back from the trampolines, it was all we could do to return phone calls of family wishing him a happy birthday, FaceTime with Uncle Alex and Aunt Coady, visit with Aunt Debbie, eat dinner, open presents, and try to get him in bed at 9pm, an unheard of hour past his bedtime. 

 

Silly back hugs with Aunt Debbie and Jasper sang him happy birthday on the phone -

After dinner, we conducted what we hope is an annual birthday interview.  Clearly the hour at the trampoline place was on the forefront of his mind.  Here is our three year old questionnaire:

What makes you happy?  Jumping at the trampoline place
What is your favorite animal?  Tyrannosaurus Rex
What is your favorite toy?  Truck
What is your favorite thing to eat?  Cheese
What is your favorite thing to drink?  Milk - especially chocolate and strawberry milk (Daddy introduced both of these)
What is your favorite thing to do?  Play with dinosaurs
What is your favorite tv show or movie?  Cars
What is your favorite game?  Matching (Memory card game)
What are you really good at doing?  Jumping, writing, sword fighting
What is your favorite color?  Blue
What is your favorite song?  Jingle Bells, It's Raining It's Pouring, All Through the Night
Who is your best friend?  Mommy, Daddy, Mackeon, Holden, Esmae, Ms. Amber and Mr. Scott
What do you and your mommy do together?  Read books, play with dinosaurs
What do you and your daddy do together?  Go outside, play with toys
What is your favorite sport?  Soccer
What is your favorite place to go?  (Initial answer was trampoline place, after some discussion on all the options of places we've been . . . ) Jan's lake house
What is your favorite book?  Dinosaur book that Great Grandma B gave me
What is your favorite restaurant?  Denny's (again, blaming Cas for this introduction)
What did you do on your birthday?  Get cake, jumped at trampoline place, FaceTime with Uncle Alex and Aunt Coady
What do you want to be when you grow up?  Person who knocks buildings down (no clue)

Cas had an early work meeting the morning of his birthday, leaving for the office before Collin awoke, so at the end of the night in his SpiderMan pajamas, he opened the two presents from us.  The Grover puppet was a hit as far as photo opp smiles go - 

The next day, Collin and I went to the Children's Museum where I let him fingerpaint his face to his heart's content.  Apparently this is his tiger paint, roar! 

Later that evening, my cousin Trish and her sons arrived from Florida.  We had the family over for pizza and more cake.  I'm sure we have candles somewhere, but Cas lit a votive for us to sing to Collin -  

We love Collin's imagination, ingenuity, humor, inquisitiveness, and sweet nature.  We are so thankful for our three year old son!