Hamilton Turns Four!

My little boy, despite my efforts to dissuade him, is growing up. Today he turned four. Four! Since it was his birthday, Alex and I were a lot less grumbily when he came into our room at 6-something. He announced, "It's my birthday!" I promptly started singing, but he told me "no." He insists that "Happy Birthday" is for blowing out candles. I made him a "4" shirt, which he told me he didn't want last night but this morning liked it and said, "Thank you, Mommy, for making me this cool shirt." As Alex says, never trust a tired kid's opinion.

We decorated the house a little last night and left wrapped presents on the table. I think Hamilton's feeling about them was pretty obvious:

He actually seemed much more into opening birthday presents than Christmas ones. Funny. He even let Beckett open one.

Trying to get his cute face and the shirt in one shot without him moving (take #34):

He selected "donuts" as his birthday breakfast. This would be the first of many blowing out of candles preceded by "Happy Birthday." Thanks to Auntie Karen, the boys had their awesome aprons to protect their clothes. Sprinkle donuts are kinda messy.

Sorry, no shot of me eating a french crueller while in my workout gear. Plausible deniability, baby.

After the gym, we met up with some friends at McDonald's--another Hamilton meal request. The next shots are me trying to get a decent photo of all the kids. Fail, but together, I think I got everyone in a decent, non-drunk photo.

The holiday season revealed Hamilton to be a great lover of egg nog. So, it only made sense that he get egg nog cupcakes for his birthday dessert.

Alex came home crazy early thanks to his hard work over the last couple days and the NYE holiday. This made it possible to got to dinner with the boys at a decent time, letting us discover that they are excellent dinner companions if we're not making them behave in a restaurant after a long wait and during their bedtime.

Once again, I'm trying to get a photo of my handsome boy:

Yes, The Cheesecake Factory. Selected by me, based on our having a gift card. On our way home, Hamilton asked, "Why did we go to a cheese store?" Then, he talked about all the desserts in the case, reflecting that the chocolate cake was even big for Willie the Giant.

When I take a bite or sip of something before giving it to Hamilton, I call it a "Mommy Tax." Here is Hamilton taking a "Hamilton Tax" of Alex's Diet Coke:

Hamilton got a cheese quesadilla, but rejected the side of guacamole. Thank goodness. I made Becks' sliders into guacamole burgers, and he gobbled his up just like his daddy:

Hamilton getting sung to! I get to be the mommy who does this! Love it!

Hamilton purposefully posed like this:

We returned home to sing two more "Happy Birthday's" over the cupcakes. I asked Hamilton what his favorite part of the day was, and he said, "Blowing out candles!"

It was really, truly a wonderful day. Thanks to everyone who was a part of it, either by celebrating with him, a phone call, or sending him such wonderful gifts. He's lucky boy. We're lucky too. :)