Mikey's 4th Birthday!!

Today we celebrated Mikey's 4th birthday.  We decided this year to have just a very small affith our immediate and intimate family (aka: the 4 of us).  Next year will be a big 5th birthday.  He still desperately wants to be 5 but is happy being 4.

He loved opening up presents and was really excited to see what was inside of them.  He also for the second year in a row wanted to play with what was on his cake instead of eat it.

I got a great idea from a friend who asked her kids generic questions on their birthday.  It will be fun to see how the answers change from year to year.

What is your favorite color? Blue
What is your favorite TV show? Transformers
What is your favorite book?  Richard Scarry's Trucks book.
What do you want to be when you grow up?  A fireman
Who is your best friend?  Daddy
What is your favorite toy? Chase-a Rescue Bot
What is your favorite food? Spaghetti

At 4 Mikey:

• Is still a picky eater
• Is always on the go, doesn't like to sit still
• Loves his sister and is playing more and more with her
• Wants to be outside all the time
• Does not nap 5 out of 7 days
• Loves chocolate milk
• Loves rough housing and playing with Daddy
• Chooses to play with trucks, cars and Legos more than any other toys
• Is fully potty trained
• Is extremely stubborn
• Loves to go to the grocery store

We love you and can't believe how big you are getting.  You are so full of energy from your fast entry into this world it has been a whirlwind ever since. We are so looking forward to what you will become in the future and are enjoying the ride you take us on everyday.

Mikey's Transformers Birthday Cake.

His Birthday wall filled with cards from family and friends.

A hand painted Transformer Emblem that Mikey and I did while Katie napped.
It's not perfect, but that's what I love about it.

A sticker card made for Mikey by Katie.

Happy 4th Birthday Mikey.

He can't take his eyes off his cake.  Literally.

He looks so happy in this photo.

Here he really wants Daddy to wash off Blade so he can start playing with it.

Katie said "I LOVE Cake!" right before I snapped this photo.

The monkey and me.

Time to open presents.

Fall and Halloween Potluck Dinner at School

This afternoon we had a Halloween Party / Family Potluck at the kids school.  We really enjoyed talking with all the parents, decorating pumpkins with the kids, seeing some cool costumes and eating yummy fall food with everyone.  It was such a nice evening and way to spend a couple of hours.

The dessert and fruit table.

Cute display.

Decorating their own pumpkins.

Katie was attracted to the stickers.

Mikey preferred the glue.

Katie and her friend from school Lia.

Katie's pumpkin full of eye balls and gems.

Mikey's pumpkin full of glue.

Mikey was allowed to open one present early so Chase came with us to the party.

Mikey opening up his goody bag.

Mikey insisted I take a picture of this tree when he saw it.  Isn't it gorgeous?!  I love that he appreciates beauty.

Date Night

Scott and I really needed to find a local babysitter.  We have a few up coming events, parties, that will require us to get a babysitter so we figured there was no night like tonight to try out a babysitter from our neighborhood.

We both heard from multiple people, both at the kids school and Scott's work about this place in Wilton, CT called, (Cactus Rose).  While we both agreed the appetizers were better than the entrees, the drinks were  the star of the evening.  I think we both had 3 and Scott said he had the best Sangria of his life while I happily sipped on different margaritas all of which were great!

To top of the evening they brought out some cotton candy with the check.  Perhaps to take your mind off the check and focus it on the fluffy mass of sugar. Worked for me.

Corn chowder was really good.

The things that come out of a 2 year olds mouth.

Katie is hilarious, in case you don't already know that.  She is fast, knows exactly what she wants and makes sure you know it.

Katie:  Ohh, I have 3 dollars to buy money!

Katie (While putting up a few Christmas decorations):  Someone's birthday?!  (Singing) Happy Birthday to Jesus.  Ooooh, I LOVE CAKE!!


Katie: (Her baby doll was crying) Oh it's okay baby.  I've got you, I've got you. Shhh.

Funny Phrases

Mikey has said some very funny and logical and illogical things recently:

Scenario 1:
Me:  Mikey do you think you'd like a little Christmas Tree put up in your bedroom that we can decorate?
Mikey:  No, no little tree.  Presents don't fit under little tree.  We need a big tree so we can have lots of presents.

Scenario 2:
Mikey: When I'm older I want to work at a building like Daddy.

Scenario 3:
Mikey:  Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom.
Me:  What Mikey?
Mikey: Nothing.


Scenario 4:
Mikey: Lots of people live in New York City and Connecticut. Are we done living in Connecticut?  We should live in New York City but we don't live there now.

Scenario 5:
Mikey:  If a stranger comes into your house you have to call Police Officer.


Scenario 6:
(October is Fire Prevention Month so the fire dept. came to the kids school and they learned all about fire safety) 
Mikey: If you are on fire you have to stop, drop and roll.

Scenario 7:
(After I served him overcooked eggs for breakfast)
Mikey: You're the best cooker Mom!

He tells me I'm the best cooker and best baker all the time now!  So sweet.

The Lego's and Why phase

Mikey is really into Lego's all of a sudden.  It is a nightly occurrence to find him building a "city" out of Lego's or a "garage" for his Rescue Bots.  It's fun to watch his imagination go wild and his play changing.  He has also been asking "why," a lot.  I mean a lot.  Everything has a why to it now and just when I think I can't go into any more detail about answering his why question, I surprise myself. 

Mikey's Lego city.

There are 3 Rescue Bots in their own little garage.

He is so proud of himself.

Warrup's Farm

It's been a busy time at school.  We have had parent's night where the kids showed Scott and I how hard they have been working.  There was artwork hanging all over the place, literally dripping everywhere.  We also have an upcoming Family's Pot Luck Dinner and Pumpkin decorating event, there is a Trunk or Treat Event (where I'm guessing families park in the parking lot and hand out candy from their cars to all the kids dressed in costumes.  It seems to be a popular event around here in CT), both kids have Halloween Parties at school and costume parades and Mikey had his first field trip to Warrup's Farm in Redding, CT.

I'll share some of those events with you soon but I wanted to tell you all about Mikey's first field trip.  I scheduled a play date between Katie and one of her friends from school so that I could attend the field trip with Mikey and his classmates and teachers and other parents.  (Warrup's Farm) was a very cute little place to take the kids.  And I do mean little.  It looked like someone just plopped down a red barn and another little shed in the middle of a field and added a few farm animals and called it a farm.  It was plenty perfect for 3 and 4 and 5 year old's to run around and explore on their own without us parent's having to worry about them getting lost.

Here's the farm!

Our hay ride awaits!

It was really cold outside!

Sitting in my lap to keep me warm.

My first hay ride with this guy.  Love his smile!

The hay ride took us to this barn down the road that was filled with hay bales that made a maze.  

The kids had fun running through the maze.

Mikey and his best friend from school, Parker.

A huge pony and an even bigger goat that was lying down in this photo.

Time to pick a pumpkin.  Mikey picked out the biggest one he could find.

So strong.

Lifting another one.

He didn't want this one because it was dirty.

They had another huge field of shoulder high wheat with different trails packed down that the kids could run around in.  Give Mikey some space and he'll take off.  That's Parker and Beckett in the foreground watching Mikey run!

Can't believe I captured this sweet moment on camera.

Best friends Parker and Mikey holding hands.

There were cute signs like this posted everywhere.

Mikey went for a walk in the woods and fields behind my parent's home last weekend with my brother and sister and nephew and they walked through a huge field full of Indian corn and Mikey brought me back just one ear of corn.  I was hoping for at least 2 more so I could make a cute door decoration. Seriously in a huge field and I only got one?!  Better than nothing I guess!

CT is such a beautiful area to drive around in the fall.  Just picturesque.  This is where the kids enjoyed snack and running off some endless energy.

Mikey and Parker exploring on their own.

So thankful I was able to experience today with Mikey and make meaningful memories.  Love you.