April Birthday.

Our family has one birthday a month from March until July, and then me in November. Which is great because everyone has had time to recover from the previous birthdays and are ready to go alllll outtttt for my birthday again. Plus it's before the holiday rush.

Our April birthday is Harris. The sweet boy turned 3 this week. On Tuesday, actually. But we did not tell him it was his birthday until Saturday because we ordered his presents via Amazon and they didn't come on time.

That is the beauty of a 3 year old. They don't know!

Oh Amazon. You beautiful thing you. BUT. Here's the downside--these toys were cheap plastic junk that will not take the Jolley beating well. I would have known that had I actually shopped at a store. Next time.

Dinosaur book

and Toy Story puzzle from Grandma Sandy!

We tried to sneak this in as a gift when it's really a request. His own potty! A race car potty, even. We want him to use it! He does not want to use it! He does not want to be a big boy. He wants to wear a diaper. I know this because he has told me. Many times.

Gwen demonstrates. "See Harris? Look how fun!!!!"

Not happening.

Dan asked Harris what he wanted to do all day long, and Dan made a list and made sure the list happened. They played hide and go seek. Our version involves the kids taking my phone so that Dan can send them hints as to where he is. Because he's really good at hiding, and they are especially terrible at finding.

And they played Zingo.

And June also made and gave Harris a present. A panda made out of paper and stuffed with cotton.

And I made him a totally ugly cake. He loves The Hungry Caterpillar, and I found a cute and "easy" caterpillar cake to make for him in the shape of a 3. It's like I forgot who I am once again and was fooled by a craft I thought I could pull off.

The Goal:

The Reality:

The kids helped. So I will blame them.

Backing up to the other parts of the week. More school.

Take my temperature because I feel like I'm actually enjoying this process now. And I feel like we are making progress. I don't know what's happening, but I have an eerie feeling that since I just typed that, this week will end in riots and violence.

Gwen was asked to bring her favorite stuffed animal to a class meeting. June joined and brought that panda she made for Harris.

 I just now noticed that they are both wearing black and white and holding black and white pandas.

What can I say--I'm just one of those moms who wants everything matching and coordinated. Tomorrow we are all wearing the colors of a wildebeest.

And June in a class meeting:

I was listening to her and her classmates discuss Charlotte's Web and had to remind myself not to hover. Because June is 8 now and really can handle stuff.

My kids don't need me anymore!

Yeah right. That's exactly why I spend half of the day hiding in closets.

And church today:

"Everybody jump!"

"Mom, take pictures of us twirling!"

And Dan taught a fabulous lesson from the Come Follow Me curriculum today. We watched King Benjamin's speech from our own tent.

Miscellany:

For our family movie this week, Dan and I watched the 6 hour BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. Man that's a good one. The girls and I finished the book Good Luck, Anna Hibiscus, which is the third in the series. For those of you who don't know, Anna Hibiscus is a girl who lives in Africa. Amazing Africa. You will love it.

The End.