After we got back from our trip to Utah for the twins’ birthday, they got another present that I had to put together. And since it took forever to get to Saedi’s, here is proof that I did get it done. 🙂
Nels did get to ride it too, he just wouldn’t cooperate for the camera. Thank you for the gift!
Today started with breakfast at Jessie Jean’s with Laura. This trip has been pretty hectic but it’s nice to visit friends and catch up, even when it feels sort of rushed. Then we went and bought presents for the party today.
Today we celebrate Solvei and Nels’ birthday! Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Donnie are letting us have our celebration at their house so after we picked up the cake, we headed over there. Grandma had set up two kiddie pools and one big pool for all the kids to play in. Solvei and Nels were so excited to splash around in them but they REFUSED to get into them. (Solvei got in but wanted to get right back out again, and Nels wouldn’t even get in.) They loved splashing anyway from the side of the pool. Saedi and Gavin were little fish as long as their faces didn’t get wet (or would that make them ducks?).
Clay brought down some balls for the kids to play with in the water. Nels and Solvei liked to throw the ball into the pools at each other so it would splash each other. They did that for at least half an hour until the ball got so full of water it wouldn’t float anymore. Every time Solvei got splashed she made the same face, it was so cute. When Grandma Lori and Grandpa Larry came, Grandma stuck her feet into the pool while sitting in a lawn chair. Solvei thought that was so neat that she wanted to try it and only then would Nels put his feet into the water (while sitting between Grandma’s legs on the edge of the pool). They all had so much fun.
When everyone was done in the water we had dinner, the kids played some more…
We had cake and ice cream…
Today was Solvei and Nels’ official second birthday. We are celebrating on Friday but I just wanted to take a photo on the actual day. Well…..not just one. Here are the best ones.
Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you!
We had planned on taking the kids to the zoo for Saedi’s birthday. About a week before, we checked the weather and it was supposed to be the only nice day in a 10 day stretch. Funny thing about the weather, it changes the closer you get to the day. The night before was predicting rain throughout the day, so we talked about going to the movies instead.
This morning we decided to ask Saedi what she wanted to do, go to the movies or walk around the zoo in the rain. She picked the zoo. We went armed with raincoats and umbrellas but it actually ended up being a fairly nice day, the rain clouds broke up before we got to Seattle so it was just cold.
The first animal we came across was the peacock that wanders around the zoo. It was showing off for a small crowd, so Saedi and Gavin climbed on a nearby rock to get a better look. The zoo handler that was with it said it was waiting for someone to feed it popcorn. When it didn’t get any food it turned around, shook it’s feathers and screeched at the crowd. This scared the wits out of Gavin. He turned to cower away but couldn’t find me or Nate so he went toward Saedi instead.
 We saw lots of animals, and had a very good time.
Saedi had also picked to go to Applebee’s for her birthday dinner, but we went there for lunch before the zoo instead. After the zoo we picked up the birthday cake and some chinese, went home and ate and then had cake and presents.
Most of my birthdays growing up I got a picture of me talking to grandma and grandpa on the phone, this year I got one of Saedi doing the same thing.
This was what she got.
This was her “big” gift from mommy and daddy this year. She is a growing geek after all.
I got another birthday present. A telephoto lens for my camera, and it’s awesome! When I was getting it out of the box Saedi asked what it was, and what it was for – I was standing in the kitchen and she was sitting at the dining table doing homework. So I told her it was a new lens and it “lets me take a close-up picture of you all the way over there without having to go over there.” So I took one, just because I could.
(Yes I know it’s out of focus but I had just gotten it out of the box and hadn’t yet discovered it is not auto focus)
Here are a few more that I got while I was figuring out how it works (and discovering that my vision is not as clear as I thought).
Last night, right before I made dinner, it suddenly dawned on Saedi that it was my birthday and we didn’t have a cake.
I actually planned it that way. I had decided I wanted a homemade carrot cake for my birthday, and that I wanted the kids to make it for me. Knowing that my birthday was on a school day and that I wouldn’t want to undertake any huge tasks in the limited time between school dismissal and bedtime (because it wouldn’t be fair to Saedi if we did anything while she was at school), I had also decided that we would make the cake on Saturday.
I explained it to the kids in terms that they would understand, “Sometimes when your birthday is during the week we have the ‘party’ on the weekend so everyone can be there [since daddy was at work late].” So today was my “party” according to the kids.
We spent the morning as usual, and after Solvei and Nels went down for a nap, Saedi and Gavin made my birthday cake. I did help a little with the making, and I frosted it, but they did a very good job. I think making it also made it okay to eat it. Being CARROT cake and all, Gavin told me before we made it that he didn’t want any, but afterward he had changed his mind.
This is what I ended up with for my “party”
Saedi and Gavin love to make birthday cards, it’s the part they get most excited about for anyone’s birthday. They have each been to birthday parties this last month that the other was not invited to, but they both made cards for both occasions.
On school days Saedi and Gavin usually get themselves dressed in the mornings and then wait for me to do hair and make breakfast. This morning I didn’t want to get out of bed so I was a little late, but when I came out of my room they had both made me birthday cards – Gavin was dressed but Saedi was still in her pajamas. The thought was very sweet, but now we were really late. Saedi barely had time to eat anything before we had to leave for the bus. Also, I usually take the babies to the bus in their pajamas and get them dressed when we get back. Today Solvei’s diaper leaked and Nels was stinky so they had to be dressed before we left and we were really, REALLY late. We did make it just in time though, so at least I didn’t have to drive Saedi to school.
Even with a not too good start, the day was pretty good. Gavin invited the boys from around the corner over to play in the morning and we just hung out at home. After Saedi got home from school I got a delivery of flowers and another “card” made for me.
So, I am now 30.
Being born on a zero year makes it easier to conceptualized decades. I actually remember thinking when I was in elementary school that it would be so weird when it got to be 2010, not so much that I would be thirty but that it was SOOOO FAR in the future and with a number like 2010 it sounded important. But it’s not weird, it is a good future and I am not ashamed or afraid to be thirty.
Happy Happy Birthday, my Gavin little boy,Â
you’re not so very little, because today you’re four!
 I wanted to do something he would enjoy so we went to story time at the library. Not too exciting but he loves going. When we were leaving he wanted to play in the trees and insisted that I come and see.
Nate came home early from work and that was special for him too. After Saedi got home from school we all piled into the car and went to the store so Gavin could pick out a toy with birthday money from Gpa Gene. It’s fun to watch what he gets excited about because it’s usually really simple things. We had Wendy’s for dinner (which he kept calling Aunt Wendy’s) at his request but he still didn’t want to eat it – there was Spiderman cake and presents to be had!
 
So Gavin got a bath and Solvei and Nels got put to bed (it was now bedtime) before we even got to the presents.
The festivities ended on a good note. He very much enjoyed what he got, using words like “Awesome,” “Wow!” and “Cool.”
I just have to mention his reaction when opening the book from Gma Lori and Gpa Larry. He loves books so of course he opened it as soon as it was unwrapped. He was looking through it when Saedi told him it was bedtime stories and did he want her to read a little bit of it to him. He said, “Not right now! It will put me to sleep!”
On to the other milestone that I mentioned. So as not to be outdone by her brother on HIS birthday, in the midst of the bathing and the putting babies to bed, Saedi finally pulled out her first loose tooth tonight. The Tooth Fairy is now on it’s way. She even wrote a letter to go with her tooth. She is getting so big.
And just so I don’t leave them out, here are some pictures of Solvei and Nels. Nels actually, cheesily, posed for his picture as soon as I got out the camera, giving me a great big smile.
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Wadman Clan 