Liam's 4th Birthday

We've had a tricky time finding good indoor solutions for a fun birthday for Liam, but I think this year we really managed to nail it.  It was supposed to be Liam's first day back at school, but we kept him home on his actual birthday, and went on our little excursion instead.  We settled on heading to the brand new indoor water park - Splash and Spa - that just opened up 20 mins from us.  We hadn't gone before, but others had told us it was really great, and it didn't disappoint.  We invited some of Liam's friends who were around to join us there if they could, and so the Dibberts and Eric and Drake were able to be there too.  We had a raucous 4 hours of splashing and playing about, leaving all of us in the lovely state of water tired, to come home for a late afternoon nap.  Eowyn has been asking when we can go Shhwimmling again.  Or as she calls it: I want a Shlimm pool!  She had a blast too, so it really was a good time for everyone.

Drake and Liam hanging out on the "bubble seats"

Liam was extremely confident propelling around in his tube, but without it he wouldn't go anywhere!

The kid area had some sweet slides and spraying things - Drake and Eric taking Eric out

Family picture in the outside pool on a gorgeous blue sky winter day!

Liam, warm water, and Monte Tamaro!

The Dibbert Clan 

Eowyn was as excited or more to spend the majority of the day in a pools!

Lunch break! 

An ice-cream  birthday treat for the big kids

 Liam opened  his car track puzzle gift from Nass and co and loved it!  It went well with the car carrier we got him, so he spent the afternoon driving around and making up stories about where he was stopping (stop to buy ice cream, a visit to the post box, paying the meter maid!)

Unfortunately this is Liam's happy smile (it's ruining a lot of photos lately!)

Track fun!

Since Splash and Spa was a pretty full on experience and took up most of a day, we decided to postpone having some cake till the following afternoon.  So while Liam was at school in the morning, Eowyn helped bake his cake.  His request: chocolate cake with berries all over the top.  And so we did our best.  (used our wedding cake recipe!)  Otherwise we tried to keep it low key and not a big production, so just a few other snacky things, and more just about celebrating and singing for him.  This year we also adopted an idea Nass had told me they do in Canada called a Toonie party.  We asked people to not bring gifts, but to bring two 2 franc coins instead.  Then Liam got to put one in his new piggy bank (the train in the photos), and one of the coins went into the little box for the Wiser organization.  (Wiser is an organization supporting the education of girls in the rural areas of Kenya.  Our school is involved in the program and so we are making the donation to them.  Liam doesn't totally get the whole thing, but he has talked about how the money is for the girls to go to school.  So it's some little kind of start in the conversation of what I hope will be a life time of understanding service and giving.)

Eowyn in her little apron is too much!  Love it!  She snuck a few swipes of the chocolate batter while I wasn't looking too!

The cake all done (there were 2 more half height ones to feed all the guests) The train piggy bank and Wiser box

All ready and waiting for friends to arrive after nap time 

Drake and Liam head to the Legos

Bryn made it with her three - Artemisia, Amadeo and Bryn (Gaia not pictured), Liam and Eowyn 

Iona with Alexi

Grayson playing with the balloons 

Eowyn made sure to grab a seat and a plate of snacks - she LOVED the popcorn

Happy faces - singing happy birthday with the sparkler candle - Gaia, Stirling, Liam and Drake 

Bright shiny eyes - what joy!

Unfortunately we need to work on teaching Liam to blow out candles, rather than spit them out! (look at Stirling's horrified face!)

Me and my 4 year old! 

Love the cheeky expression! This is where I traded out cakes and brought the short one in for the kids! (half the height and same amount of berries seems the right proportion

Eowyn wangled her way into the front of me and all I heard was: "I need some, I want some."  Followed by: "my TURN!" after I had given every kid some but her.  (we weren't planning on giving her cake since she's not two yet)  She ended up with a sliver.