My baby is now 3

My life is running about 2 months behind it feels like and I am having a hard time catching up let alone finding time to think about updating my blog. This is a very new to me. but I do want everyone to see my baby is now three. He wanted a Diego birthday party so I got to work. It was hard to find any Diego party favors that did not include Dora so I looked long and hard only to hear the day before the party that he didn't like Diego any more and he wanted a Thomas the train party like he had last year. So amid trying to make the cake (Kendall was eating the candy rocks when I was not looking), get him excited about Diego( we watched the show all morning thank goodness for on demand) and double checking I had enough activites to entertain a dozen 3 year olds( why did I let my son make the guest list??) I was a little stressed out. It all went pretty well we made spotting scopes and the bobo brothers took our pinata so we had to go on a scavenger hunt to track them down. First we had to cross Turtle lake then crawl through the bear cave and find our way through snake jungle where the bobo's were waiting with a photo of the pinata set up down stairs. I think we should have a pinata every year it was such a hit (no pun intended) the kids were so great at taking turns and listening I was a little surprised. The kids were all very good but I was wiped out by the time the party was over I was also wondering what had possesed me to attempt such a party for such a large group. When Ben came up gave me a big hug and told me this was his "Best Birthday Ever!" I just smiled and said okay you can have a party next year. I am such a sucker.

This is what Christmas morning looks like when you are rushed and need to wake the kids and force them to open presents.
Not that it took too much pushing once they figured out what was going on. Trains were the theme for Christmas this year, Geo-tracks and polar express are the favorites. "Santa" is still trying to figure out just how much is too much and what the kids can handle but after three years of going totally overboard we think he is getting the hang of it. In his defense "Santa" had to make two stops this year one at Grandpa and the other at Grandma's house and didn't really want either of them to miss out on the fun. After opening and then packing up driving across town to open some more even Jolly old St. Nick forgot somethings.
Luckily there were enough toys to distract from the fact that the Polar Express was left behind, it was recovered before the 16 hour drive home. Good for everyone because that would have been a potential meltdown.