Happy Birthday to Tipton!

My little boy is FIVE years old! And he is very excited to be five. The day started with him "opening" presents in the living room. (We didn't actually wrap anything, we just laid them all out on the green couch.) Of course, the first thing he saw were the new Hot Wheels Acceleracers cars. After about 10 minutes of playing with these and ignoring everything else, I demanded that he 'open' his other gifts or we would send them back. That got his attention. (We were on a time schedule - he still had school and Daddy still had to go to work!) He had presents from the Killmeyers and Grandma Suzie and Lilli and Rowan & Niall. And of course more stuff from Mommy & Daddy. He loved it all.

He had a small meltdown when we got to school - we'd forgotten his backpack. That meant that he wouldn't have a snack. I assured him that I would bring his backpack as soon as I'd dropped Lilli at daycare. And I did. I also made a little sign that said "Happy Birthday Tipton! 5!" and taped that over his locker, with some balloons. And I brought cupcakes for his class to eat at snacktime. Pink strawberry cupcakes. With neon blue cream cheese frosting and bright green sugar sprinkles. They turned out MUCH better than I thought they would. Truth be told, I dreaded making them. Of course, you can't find a strawberry cake mix over here. But my Mom found a recipe for strawberry cake. She'd made it for one of my neice's birthday. I didn't have the exact ingredients, but "made do" with what I had. It called for a yellow cake mix, a box of strawberry jello and a box of frozen strawberries. You understand why I was concerned, yes? But they were so delicious and moist that Tipton's teachers asked me for the recipe.

After school the kids played on the playground for a bit. Then Tipton's friend Samantha came home with us for lunch. Then I loaded them into the car and we left to get Lilli from daycare. Then home for more playing. Adriana picked Samantha up and Tipton and Lilli and I headed off for Tipton's class at The Little Gym. I brought the rest of the cupcakes for his classmates to have afterwards. Again, they were a big hit. Several of the mommies asked for the recipe.

We got home and the kids played outside for a while, then into the tub. Tipton requested a pizza picnic for dinner, so that's what we had. No more cupcakes, so we put his birthday candle into a bowl of strawberry ice cream. Then we 'called' Grama and Papa on the computer. Tipton showed them all the new Acceleracers cars he has. They sang Happy Birthday to him. He LOVED it! (When Lilli saw Grama on the computer she said "Papa? Papa?" She knows they go together!)

All in all, it was a good day. Tipton had fun. I cannot believe my little boy is FIVE years old. It seems like only yesterday...