4? How is he 4!? Looking at our 2005 photos from the hospital is surreal. Four years. It seems like yesterday; and it seems like forever.
We had his birthday party last Saturday. The bbq was a success, even if there were less actual KIDS than anticipated, the ones here were rambunctious enough to feel like a dozen, and there were at least a dozen big friends here. We skewered food, played T-ball, gobbled down ice-cream cake, made musical noise, slaughtered balloons, and opened presents, which ranged from antique tin cement mixers and art supplies to a kick-ass ThinkPad. And cars. Lots of cars. Certain children also snuck into our bedroom to jump on our bed, which was quickly discouraged.
After cake & presents, it was time to toss aside the pointy coloured hats and suit up to jump the shark.Yes, an 18 foot, inflatable 3D shark slip and slide (oh, how badly I wanted my own slip & slide when I was a kid). Squealing moist children running rampant all around the yard, flinging themselves wildly down the slippery path into the mouth of the giant beast. Screaming madness of the very best kind.
Isak eventually wrapped himself in his favorite towel, declared himself “Super Froggy of the World” & ran about a bit more, coming to everyone’s rescue. We capped the evening off with goodie bags full of mini-bubbles, balloons, cars, train stickers and candy necklaces. Great fun was had by all, and the garden is sufficiently watered for the week, so hurrah for multitasking. The whole thing ended up being thrown together very last minute, so we were glad it came off so well.
Later, after everyone had left, Isak brushed his teeth, got jammied up and came over to where we were sitting on the couch and fell asleep mid goodnight hug, sprawled over both of us. How did he get so big?
We finally managed to clean everything up in time for his REAL birthday, which we spent a great deal of on the floor playing with a mountain of lego. He excitedly checked the mailbox to find a postcard (with a cool rusty old truck) and a big pop up Winnie the Pooh card, and got several phone calls wishing him many happy returns. It was a very happy birthday. Four years. Ay, my heart is so full…
