Birthday Celebrations

As some of you know, Willie and I celebrate birthdays in a big way. We do not necessarily spend loads of cash but we have always celebrated a birthday week and tried to do whatever the birthday person really wants to do.

On Tuesday (his actual birthday) we made spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner, his favorite. We followed this with strawberry jello and cool whip!!! Then on to the gifts. He had quite a load of gifts from the grandparents and friends and it was funny to see him really getting into the opening of them. Throughout the process when we handed him a gift we would ask him, what is this and he would happily say TRACTOR. He thought every gift was going to be a tractor. While there was definitely a tractor thread running through the gifts....obviously every single one was not a tractor. He has enjoyed his new books, trains, scissors (yes I bought him safety scissors), clothes and such.

On Wednesday, his adopted Aunt Tedi took him shopping. He had such fun playing at the train table with her and he got to come home with two new Thomas trains as well as a book all about tractors.

Some intense decision-making as to what trains he "needed".

Since Matthew is such a HUGE tractor nut, on Friday Dad had a mini-excavator delivered to the house. It was delivered during nap time and boy was he surprised to see it. He spent many hours over the weekend on the tractor helping Dad do some much needed landscaping in our yard.

His first ride on the tractor.

Saturday was a big day. We drove the tractor, finished the sandbox and filled it with sand and had about 30 or so people, big and small, over for a celebration. He loves his sandbox and has spent countless hours in there since its completion. I think he had a blast at his party, he ran around and chased the other kids, climbed on the sandbox, ate hot dogs and his favorite...strawberry cake. The weather was GORGEOUS which really saved us because 30 people in the house would not have been fun. This little guy stayed up until 10:30 PM but then went to bed without a peep....which is far from normal.

The finished sandbox, a huge hit to say the least!!

Doing some final work before adding sand.

Enjoying his sandbox.

"Driving"

They even let me drive the tractor a bit.

Running around the backyard with friends at his party.

The cake....he was more impressed with his new tractor than the cake this year!!

My tired but happy boys.

All in all, I think Matthew's birthday week was a success. My little boy is two.....and I am sure the next year will be filled with adventure!