Happy 11th Birthday, Joel!



For our second "kid birthday" of the year, it was Joel's turn! We have an 11 year old, yikes!!

 

 

Joel by his airplane cake

 

 

This son gets pretty excited about food and treats, so I tried to build that in to his two special days. 

 

Birthday breakfast

 

 

The night before, the boys must've spent an hour going through an elaborate process to decide where we were going to eat lunch. It was pretty cute! Joel tried different methods of choosing, but the list of restaurants kept growing, and his preferences changing... He would choose a piece of paper, read it, and his face would fall a little. "But I wanted (...)" I would tell him it was completely his decision, and to work on it till he was happy, ha!

 

  

 

Finally, a winner emerged, and the next day we headed to the new Globos in town. Jake had a work call but was able to make it in time to eat with us. (No pictures, but we had a good time. The boys played a lot and Sophia was pleasant - ate her first strawberries! - so Jake and I actually got to talk, nice!) 

 

Taco Dinner



Joel wanted to open one gift on his birthday and the rest the next day with his friends.

Putting together Knex

 

I didn't get a picture of the final product, a car race track, before it was taken down to be converted into many different vehicles.

 

 

Samuel and Sophia had their own fun!

 

 

The next day, the boys from the home were coming for cake! They were busy the day before with a special outing, and Joel graciously agreed to postpone his birthday party until they were available.

All ready!

 

Samuel set the table for us and the boys even added names so that there would be no confusion as to seating arrangements! 

Guests in place!

 

 

Joel and Sophia sharing a moment (my birthday hats being recycled yet again, Heather!)

Praying before the cake

 

 

Close up of the cake 

Lighting the candles - Joel had the idea of "runway lights"

 

 

 

Tia Sarin introduced Sophia to chocolate cake! (Just two little bites - I think she liked it!)  

 

Present time!

 

 

 

 

As soon as the boys left, Joel got right to work on his model airplane kit. Turns out that super glue was what he needed, and although I was a little worried, he did a great job - no glued fingers or anything!

 

Airplanes were the party theme!

 

He has said several times "I can't believe I really put this together!"

 

I found spreading the birthday fun out over two days was a lot more "do-able" and less overwhelming. (Especially since we were without power for 7 hours on his actual birthday!) We even did school both mornings. Joel, my most laid-back kid, had a great attitude about it all and we had a lot of fun!

 

It was interesting to me how much every little detail was compared to Samuel's birthday, by all three of the boys.

 

"Will I get a balloon like Samuel?"

 

"Can I choose a special drink for my birthday like Samuel?"

 

Michael asked, "Is the cake going to be tall like Samuel's?"

 

Samuel himself was quick to point out if Joel got one thing more, like the bag of candy Sophia "gave" Joel. Wow! I suppose it could be a kid thing, but I hadn't realized what a precedent we were setting the first time around, yikes! Finally, I had a little chat with the three about each one being unique, and thus each birthday being unique. I wonder if some of it has to do with each still finding their place in our family and wondering if they are as special as the other brother.  

 

We're glad now that Michael's birthday will take place in the states, to take some of the pressure of "equal-ness" off!!  

 

 

I didn't know where else in the post to put these pictures, but Jake and I thought they were cool. This is how the plane cake came together:

 

 

 

I had a lot of fun with this cake! It was much more on my level compared to Samuel's castle cake. Now my Mom tells me it's her philosophy when she decorates cakes at their cookie store - do simple well, rather than getting in over your head!

 

 

Happy Birthday, Joel!!