Happy Birthday Elissa.

All dressed up to help our friend Elissa celebrate her 3RD birthday

That's right, another party this week and boy are we ready! 

When you've got your party hats on and your pants off - you know this party is rocking!

Love this photo as Matteo exercised the utmost patience at waiting to sing Happy Birthday. 

(yes, he is so handsome).

Always rocking - Happy Birthday Elissa and Grandma Marsha.  

Bike

Matteo got a new bike today!

And let me tell you this bike has "blast off" written all over it.  Matteo is loving it and cannot ride enough.  

Daddy on the other hand, his riding partner as I don't own a bike, is more than exhausted and often times has trouble keeping up.

And today has me wallowing in self-pity having received some rather crappy news.

Phone!

Matteo has made very good use of his phone list - which contains 3 phone numbers.  He likes to dial the phone himself and often as I walk by his bedroom I will hear him talking to Gramps on the phone.

Below he is sharing a morning chat with his Aunt Colleen.

I on the other hand have been enjoying a phone and computer free week as much as possible and loving every minute of it!

Last Happy 3rd Birthday to our pal Elissa!

Hockey

Matteo was colored happy when his friend Patrick came to call on him to play after school.

Party III

Today we enjoyed our third party in three days!  Ellaina from Matteo's class turned 4 years old today.  After school we enjoyed some time at a bouncy house/meets arcade.  Lots of fun, though for the better half of the party the arcade doesn't entice Matteo as much as climbing though "Kilimanjaro" - and yes the name is exactly as it sounds.  Lots of climbing, mazes, etc.  And if you know me, you know I do not much care for small, tight spaces.  So when Chloe May got stuck in their 2x, the first time a friend went in to get her out and the second time I sucked it up and went in. 

The best part of the party is always the coming together to sing Happy Birthday - and just before that Ellaina's mother gave such a lovely speech about how much everyone meant to her, etc. 

And surprise surprise, at the end of the party (because when it's a bouncy house, you don't leave before they are turning off the lights), Ellaina's mother told me how much I inspire her to be a better mother and just how simply kind I am.  (Which is ironic because on the way to the party Matteo asked me if you could ever be too kind - to which I replied no.)  These words really touched me and actually made me tear up (yes I am a softie). 

A great three days - and now I need some rest :-)

Rory's party

Though we were out quite past our bedtime, we still arose at the usual time and got ready for our pal Rory's 3rd birthay party!  The party was from 10-12, which I loved and featured some brunch type food (another plus).  

All smiles as we prepare to celebrate.

 

 The birthday girl wearing the crown we made for her and full of joy.

 And finally, I love this photo - these two pals see each other 4-6 times a year, and I am still amazed at when they see each other how they run and jump up and down - - as if not a day has passed.  And despite the chocolate teeth, these two have the whitest and best smiles on a boy I have seen.  Kudos to great brushing.

And with the day still ahead of us, when we got home and the weather was warmer than usual, what else were we to do but enjoy the outside and practice our rollerblading.

To end this blog post, I have to comment on the great party bags.  Not filled with candy or anything I feel I have to fight the kids about not having, etc.  No we got crayons, coloring books, window clings (a first!), and finally glow sticks.  And who is the biggest kid of all making a flashlight:::::

 DADDY!!!

Finally, you know the party favors are a hit when you fall asleep clutching same! :-)

Goodnight & thanks to the E family for including us in such a wonderful party.

(Same pic as above, just without the lights on).

Last ice skating & celebration

Today was Matteo's last day of ice skating - and all I can say is he did a great job and really enjoyed himself!

 

Not only did Matteo take 5 lessons  - but Daddy and Matteo enjoyed endless (or so it seemed every Tue or Thur) free skating lessons.  Hard work pays off.

We then came home, rested a bit and late in the day were off to celebrate Cousin Rocco's 7th Birthday!  

The celebration was at my old stomping ground, a restaurant I used to bus tables at and a Dear Friend of mine still works there part-time.  Can you tell Matteo was colored happy at seeing her?  (He often tells me she is his favorite person in the whole world).

 Matteo was also delighted to see his Cousin Rocco - whom I don't think we have seen in quite some time.

And the rest of the night was full of great laughs and fun times...perhaps a little too much fun ;-)

Cheers.