Thursday May 26, 2011
I think I’m turning into a morning person. Here’s a hand. You can pick yourself up off the floor now. Ok, “morning person” may be a bit of a stretch, but I don’t hate them like I used to. Well, not after I’m up. My alarm clock still has lingering self-esteem issues from the glowering looks, wallops on the snooze button, and muttered words that aren’t complimentary. Nothing a little therapy can’t remedy.
Mornings in May are just beautiful. I love watching the sun … a red ball rising quickly above the tree line, burning through the white mist and drying the dew. I love hearing the birds singing through open windows, the cool of a house left open overnight. Most of all, I love the quietness. It’s just something about mornings in the summer. It feels different than mornings in the winter. Expectant, maybe. Because nearly every day in summer holds the possibility of so many wonderful things!
Saturday was one of those wonderful things! Liam celebrated birthday number three! He is usually a very light sleeper and pops out of bed before I wish he would. Saturday he was sleepy and it was beyond adorable seeing him squint and rub his eyes and sit up drunken with sleep. “Happy Birthday, Liam! Did you know today is your happy birthday?” He just smiled, rubbed his eyes and said, “and I can have cake.” Cake was THE most important part of his birthday this year. I think because he remembered Adam’s birthday cake and loved the candles. And thankfully, I finally found a cake option as opposed to last year!
In a rare fit of happy fun, we took the entire Saturday off and had fun. No, neither David or I had fever. And yes, we did restrain ourselves and did not go get a load of mulch Friday night to unload at six in the morning like we talked about. Sometimes I am afraid the boys will grow up and say, all Dad and Mom did was work. All the time. This is the part of building your own house that you do not expect. That you just never seem to get done … and instead of maintenance, you are forever falling behind because you are still tackling the undone projects. There are still a few big things, but I think we are down to one major final frontier so maybe, maybe in a few years, we’ll be able to do things like this a little more regularly. Because days like this really feel like living!
David borrowed a boat from a friend and we were off to fish! I felt so spoiled and luxiourious! I don’t have a fishing license and was afraid this might be the only time I’d use it this year so it didn’t feel worth the money to buy one, but I was kept quite busy anyway …. Baiting hooks, helping Liam cast his line, getting my and Adam’s hooks back out of the trees, and soaking up the sun. Adam is getting more adept at casting and as long as we’re on shore so that he has enough space, he can run solo. In the tight quarters of the boat it was a bit trickier, but he did well most of the time. And he caught one fish! I was much more proud of his incredibly good attitude than I was of the fish he caught or his great casts. He has a really competitive drive that can quickly suck the fun out of an outing for him and for us. This time instead of whining about not catching more and saying it’s not fun he said several times, “I hope I can catch another one.” “I’m glad I at least caught one fish.” “This is so much fun!” and most shocking of all, “Daddy, I hope you can catch another fish!” when David had already caught six to his one!!
Liam didn’t catch any, but for quite awhile he thought he did! Every time he’d reel his line in he’d say, “Oh, there’s a wittle one.” And finally I realized he wasn’t pretending, he thought the minnow was his catch!
It was hard to leave. The lake was so quiet and peaceful, not to mention the allure of that one more elusive fish. Liam’s belly pain helped us decide it really was time to go home. As we drove home, I told David it reminds me of when we were little girls and rarely, rarely had treats. Seriously, a piece of gum was enough to make our eyes sparkle. Sometimes on those hot summer days we would look over into the next car at a traffic light and see someone licking an ice cream cone. We would gaze unabashedly and talk about how good it looked and how much we wished we’d have one. I clearly remember one special day when WE got ice cream cones and we asked mom, “Do you think the other people are looking into our car windows and wishing they could have an ice cream cone?” Well, I had that same feeling Saturday. How many times have I seen a boat head out on a gorgeous Saturday and wished longingly …. Now it was me, riding along in front of the boat and feeling sorry for all the people who had to miss out on one of the best days of the year!
We got home a little after four and I had absolutely nothing done for Liam’s birthday. Nothing. Supper was supposed to be at 5:30 and then it stretched to 6 and finally happened at 6:45. I wasn’t even sure what I was going to do with his cake until we got out of the boat and he said he wants a boat for his cake. Simple enough. We had fish tacos with extra guacamole, fresh salsa, and chips. Lucky for me it is actually cheaper to buy ready made fresh salsa and guacamole at Sam’s Club then it is to make it. What is up with avocados costing $2 a piece the last while?
Liam’s grandparents were here except Grandpa Beachy who is in Kenya. When I woke Liam in the morning I told him all about the day including who would be here for his party. He loves his Grandpa Beachy so I was surprised he didn’t say more about him not being there. As we started down the road he said (in a very pouty voice) “My birfday is in Tenya.” I turned around and saw his angry face and said, “Are you feeling sad that Grandpa can’t be at your birthday party tonight?” Vigorous head nod. “I HATE Tenya.”
Liam is my favorite age ever now. I love, love, love three year olds. I love how independent and grown up they are while still keeping enough residual babyhood to be absolutely adorable. I love hearing them talk. I love that they are potty trained but still little enough to make their miniature clothes look so cute. I love that he tries to do every grown up thing he sees Adam do, but when he’s had a bath, his feet are still tiny enough to make me want to kiss them just like I did when he was a baby. Sometime this year, that urge is going to leave and then I will know he is grown up for real. But for now, he is my perfect little three year old, charming me with his sweetness, trying to make me laugh when he was naughty (little stinker), and melting my heart with his kisses.
Happy Birthday, sugar potato.
(where I found his birthday flashlight when I took the dishes inside)
I am amazed at the birthday party you pulled together in under 3 hours—including coordinating family outfits! LOVE the “Liam III” on the boat cake! Liam is SO cute. And I know what you mean about just loving this stage…that’s where I’m at with Ariana, too. I often wish to freeze this age.
My boys would be green with envy if I’d show them your fishing pictures. They totally LOVE fishing and they’ve been asking for weeks about going. Unfortunately, fishing weather and mowing weather are identical—and when Daddy runs a lawn mowing business and he’s two weeks (or more!) behind thanks to all of the rain, leisurely fishing trips just don’t happen. Adam sounds a lot like our Wade, who has ruined many a fishing trip when his catches didn’t live up to his expectations. 🙂
May is my favorite month! So sad that it’s almost over already. Enjoy your last few mornings!
Happy Birthday Liam!!! =)
Love your cake…that is adorable and creative…and wow, pulled together in a short time too!
You are right….there is just something wonderful about mornings. The quiet, the peacefulness, the birds……I love mornings in the summer.
How fun to have a boat for a day. I like your ice cream cone ananlogy. I like how you appreciated having your own ice cream…although as a kid you probaby wanted ice cream all of the time! But doing without, making treats something special instead of an everyday commodity, makes children more thankful I think. =)
Have a great day.
Your last minute party & cake amaze me, too! 🙂 It turned out beautifully!
And I will definitely have to agree with you on the 3 yr old stage being the best.
It’s so neat that you went and had a fun day together fishing for his birthday, I’m sure Liam will remember it for a long time! 🙂
You are such a good writer. I don’t know you at all, yet you somehow pull me into being very interested in your family.
It’s funny….I’m suddenly a morning person too. Summer mornings are worth getting up for!
I love the sandwich picture-and I’ve never had fish tacos, but do they ever look good.
How could we get our children to feel the way we used to feel about icecream cones? Sometimes ours suggest we go for icecream and then get owly when we say no.:(
I agree–3 is the best. Dan keeps telling our 3 year old Andre that he wants him to just stay 3 forever. But July is just around the corner. 🙁
“My birthday is in Tenya.” So hilarous.
Posted 5/26/2011 9
Happy bday to your lil’ guy! 🙂 The beachy table decor and the sailboat cake are presh.
Oh, so much fun-ness! 🙂 (is that even a word!?) Yes, I can identify with the wondering if all our kids are going to remember is us working on Saturdays… we have asked ourselves that same question, and reality is that there is so much work on a fixer-upper or when you build your own house! But how to balance that to actually be able to take days off and just have FUN?! Looks like you sure had a great day… that relaxing can be wonderful for both parents and children!
And I’m amazed that you threw together such an amazing party with no plans prior!! And a cake at that. WOW! The fish tacos looked amazing. I’ve never tried any of those, but I hear they are really really good!
And age three… precious, just precious, I agree! Liam must be just inbetween Zoe and Olivia, and a day after Olivia’s birthday! I hadn’t remembered that. But that age, so innocence and tender, so grown-up and so little and cute at the same time. 🙂 Love it!!
Oh, my how much fun! I’m terribly glad you took a day off to actually live. 🙂 🙂 The fish tacos look scrumptious!! Liam is quite adorable, and I like the family picture, too.
Aw. Happy Birthday to your little guy! I agree, 3 is a fun age. : )
Such a fun post! Seems like everywhere I look on Xanga people are having wonderful little family times! Isn’t that awesome?
I can very much relate to the thing of being afraid our kids will grow up and say “All Mom and Dad ever did was work!”
The other night when Jeremy and I were outside I said to him “Doesn’t it ever just make you SO discouraged to look around and see ALL of the projects we could/should be doing?” Sometimes I just want to pretend they are not there and if our place is junky, then so be it. But I know that would drive me nuts too. You can’t win!
I agree about three being SUCH a perfect age. Nikki is still three for another couple of months and I LOVE, LOVE it! Not that I don’t love the ages after 3, but there is definitely something special about a three year old, as you described very well. Great job on Liam’s cake. Love the picture of your family, too!
awww, I loved this post. Your little family birthday party just made me want to sigh with happiness, looks like such fun summer memories all around.
The fish taco’s look amazing, and sound so good too, i could eat one right now. Happy summer to you guys!
a morning person now, huh? you can be glad that i was already sitting down. i might have gotten hurt. 😉
happy birthday to darling little liam. three is like perfect cuteness. i agree. loved this family togetherness post
that you shared. and as always your food! my word. looks good enough to eat! cuh-yoot cake too.
happy memorial day weekend friend! i miss you.
I’m amazed at how you pulled together such a cute birthday party in a few hours. That cake alone would have taken me a couple hours! Looks like a happy birthday for Liam.
@itsayoderworld – @Elizabethmarie_1 – @the_schlabachs – @lifeisadance – @Jabber_wock – Thanks for all the kind words, but the fast moves aren’t that much of a miracle. I didn’t realize they’d look so much that way. 😀 The decor for the party is all stuff I pulled out of (mostly) the boy’s room and a candle from the kitchen and the pillars from the dining room. Time it took to carry it all out? Maybe 15 minutes. Another five to add the streamers and Adam set the table for me. I could easily do that while the cake was baking, shower while it cooled, and get the boys clothes pulled together. David took care of the fish and actually waited to grill them til after we were sitting at the table so they were served hot and oh, so delicious! And remember I had almost no food prep otherwise except to cut cabbage which my mom did when she got here. It was one of the easiest, most fun menus I can remember and still so yummy!
@quiet_hearts – And I bet your mornings are SUPER early right now! I know. I want my children to be more grateful for little things … which I guess means I need to stop spoiling them with bigger things, huh? 😀
@TrentTribe – Thanks!
@twofus_1 –
@fruitloops115 – They ARE yummy! Except I’d like to try them with a fish that isn’t quite so mild. We caught mostly sunfish. I’d love to try mahi mahi sometime.
@appalolly – Oh, I KNOW that discouragement … and the feeling of just wanting to let it all go and then knowing it will drive you crazy.
@down_onthefarm – Glad, too, that you were already sitting. 😀 And I miss you, too!
it looks like a day to remember! It’s so hard to find a balance between work and play. i guess not just old farms have a lot of work…;)
Cute birthday boy. He’s starting to look like his brother. Love the coordinating party colors and matching outfits. Wow! you are amazing!
@smilesbymiles – wow, that sounds even MORE than wonder woman. 🙂 i’m as impressed as ever.
Just came by to say that I love how you took that Sat. off. the pics of your boys on the boat were awesome! I can relate to wondering if our kids will think that all we ever did was work. The family pic of Liam’s b-day party are fabulous! Love the colors. I never think of everyone trying to match colors so that the pics will look better. (btw – I didn’t read the other comments, so I may have reiterated exactly what everyone else said.)
i loved hearing about your fishing day!!! happy birthday to liam! i love 3 yr olds too!
What a priceless day for a boy to spend his b-day! We love fish tacos, your’s look wonderful. How did you make your fish? I usually just broil ours with lemon and dill.
@scuppernog – David coated them with olive oil and a few seasonings and grilled them. Broiling sounds nice, but my broiler fuse blew three years ago and it would cost $150 to fix it (in a stove that I hate) so I just keep doing without one. 🙂