Happy Birthday, Camden boy!

It's been awhile since I posted.  I'm going to blame Brian for changing the password to something tricky, and I believe impossible to hack.  I need it written down to type it 1 character at a time.

Anyway, today Camden turned 4!  It's so strange for me to think of the time before he was born, but it also seems strange that he can be that old.  The whole day has been a happy one.  No tears, no melt downs, no arguing.  All "ok, sure mom!" and happy, cheerful, cooperative--from both boys!  It sure made the day a good one.  It makes me wonder how to replicate a day like this--if it was just a super special day, or if there is anything I can do to make more days happy ones. 

Anyway, here are a few highlights:

I put up a Happy Birthday sign, streamers, and balloons in our house. There's nothing like a few decorations to make a little one feel special!  We also blew up a bunch of balloons to leave on the floor and play with.

Brian got to come home for lunch, and we had Camden open a few gifts then.  Then, when Brian got home after work, we all went for a walk with Camden's new bike.  He's actually pretty good for his first day with a real bike.  Camden chose hot dogs for dinner, so I put 4 birthday candles in his hot dog and we sang again to him.  Then we went to a little fun center with a merry-go-round.  Camden LOVES merry-go-rounds, so it was fun for him.  He also has been begging to get roller skates, so we tried out the roller rink at he fun center.  One trip around the rink was enough for him to realize he really doesn't like skating.  At all.  :)  It was pretty funny for me to watch Brian trying to keep Camden on his feet, though.   Then Brian took Nate out.  Nate only got one trip around, too, but Brian mostly skated while holding Nate by his arms, slightly off the ground.  Nate really wanted to go around again, which surprised me. 

Oh, and treats!  Camden didn't want a birthday cake this year.  Or, actually, he wanted a super tricky Spinosaurus 3-D cake that looked like a week of stress-filled, sticky buttercream and fondant disaster if I attempted it.  So, he decided that he really didn't want cake anyway, but that chocolate pudding is really his favorite.  We made chocolate pudding and crumbled oreos on top, with the little chocolate rocks and a tiny toy dinosaur in the top of the cup.  They were so yummy!  And I even found an easy  dairy-free chocolate pudding recipe!  Earlier in the day, we had "dino swamp muffins" for a snack (which was actually avocado bread--yes it sounds really weird, but the avocado flavor was very mild, and the avocado just made the muffins super moist and GREEN.  They had some orange zest and cinnamon in it that made them really yummy.) Best part--boys had no idea they were eating avocado!  I've found a secret--if I bake a loaf of bread, Brian and I will end up eating all of it because they boys won't touch it.  If I bake the same batter into bite-size mini muffins, all of them will be gobbled up.  And, if they have sprinkles on them, even better! 

I'm a bad photographer, especially when I forget the camera at home. :(  But, I did get a few pictures.  And when we find the right computer attachment for Brian's phone, we can post some more. 

 

 
Happy Birthday, my not-so-little one!