Thank you, Sweet Boy!

Mommy got her hair cut today...a new, shorter length from a hairstyling magician, Shana, who really understands my unruly head of hair! I felt good, real good, when I left the salon and headed home.

But, when Liam looked at me with a big smile on his face and said, "Mommy, you look so beautiful!", well, let me tell you, at that moment I couldn't remember feeling so good about myself.

He constantly surprises me with what he's capable of saying & doing and now uplifting has been added to his canvas!

The Bug Park

Liam loves bugs and he received some really fun bug gear at his birthday party from his friends, Lily Star and Sam. Since this coming week calls for rain, it was a no-brainer to find something fun to do outside today...plus, Papa's getting cabin fever. So, Mommy, Papa and Liam headed to McConnell Springs (AKA: The Bug Park) for a leisurely walk and to take in the bubbling springs and natural landscape... beautiful! (It's hard to believe that this was used as a dumping ground until "The Friends of McConnell Springs" managed to raise funds to recapture this beautiful site!).

We enjoyed watching Liam search for bugs and his attempts to catch them with his bug tools and put them in their mesh home. He tried and tried, mostly catching dandelions and leaves. But, at last, he caught a beetle which he toted along in his new bug house on our nature walk and dining with us for our outdoor picnic lunch. Sadly, when we were distracted, our new beetle friend found a small enough hole and escaped. Liam said goodbye and began a new search in between his running, hopping, climbing, jumping and exploring.

What a wonderful day!

Liam's 3rd Birthday Party!

Welcome to Liam's Zoo!!!

We didn't have any trouble picking a theme for Liam's 3rd birthday party. He loves animals and especially zoo animals! We had fun making the "Zoo Ticket" invitations out of card stock on the computer using pictures we had taken over past trips to various zoos. We found lots of fun party gifts from zoo books & stickers to dinnerware & a CD for Liam and his friends. We decorated the house with our "Zoo Tickets", zoo animal friends, personal zoo photos, balloons and Liam's own painted masterpiece of "My Trip to the Zoo" coloring pages (Thanks, Gandma!).

As our family and friends arrived, the adults mingled and the children played with zoo books, puzzles, toys and the zoo tunnel (cardboard boxes wrapped in gift wrap...thanks for the idea Ms. Dawn & Gandma!). Once everyone ate a delicious spread (Thanks, again, Gandma & Papa and Daddy, too!), everyone headed outside for free play. Daddy & Papa helped Mommy get the pinata up and going...what fun...everyone took a swing including Great Ganny who can really swing a bat! She told me later, "I didn't know there was anything in there!". The little ones enjoyed stickers, fruit chewies and some candy! After the Zoo Egg Hunt, we headed inside for birth-day-cake!...birth-day-cake!....birth-day-cake!!!!

Mommy made Liam's cake this year but kept it very simple. He asked for chocolate cake with white frosting so I made a moist chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. I decorated it with green & orange icing, an elephant sitting on dirt (cocoa), a polar bear sitting on ice (mini marshmallows)and a lion sitting on grass (green sugar crystals) & it read "Happy 3rd Birthday Liam". He enjoyed his cake donning his animal friends, listening to everyone sing "Happy Birthday" and had a lot of fun blowing out his #3 birthday candle. He kept looking at me for approval to finally blow it out...too cute. It didn't take long for him and all his friends to dive in and finish off their cake which made Mommy feel good...it really was delicious!

We then moved to the family room so Liam could enjoy opening his birthday presents...what fun! I sat on the floor with Liam and was happy to oblige many lap friends who could barely stand the anticipation of what was in each new package. Liam was blessed with many wonderful presents such as generous gift cards and money (for summer activities), bug gear, books, clothes, stacking cards, games, puzzles, toys, a cool pint-size pool for the summer (which Liam wanted to open up right there in the family room!), animal collections, a new back pack for school in the fall, bubbles, place mats (including a personalized one which he loves to spell

L-I-A-M at each meal!), stickers, a handmade quilt, a fireman dress up outfit, a viewfinder, a "green" race car and driver and a new animal theme bathroom ensemble. WOW...our child is not deprived and is very loved! He shows his appreciation daily in the way he plays and learns with your carefully thought out gifts.

Thank you to each and every one who took the time to share in another wonderful birthday party for Liam. He talks about each of you often and truly loves his friends and family!

Welcome Home, Daddy!!!

We sure do miss one another when Daddy travels. Liam's been handling his absence quite well save moments when it's obvious that he really would like to see his Daddy. He usually wakes up in the morning asking "Where's my Daddy?". After reminding him that Daddy's gone to work on a car ride, he's usually fine. Sometimes he asks to call him which we happily oblige. So, today, Daddy arrives home and Liam is so happy!!! He's had a busy spring break week, Gandma & Papa are here, tomorrow we'll celebrate his 3rd birthday party with a "Liam's Zoo" theme and lots of friends and family will be here to join in the fun.

But, don't forget, today...Daddy's coming home!!!

Yeah, Gandma & Papa!

Liam has had such a busy spring break week filled with lots of fun. And, now, Gandma and Papa are here....yeah!!! Liam is getting ready to celebrate his 3rd birthday party this weekend and can bearly contain his excitement. He is soooo happy Gandma and Papa have come to help celebrate!!!

Magic Beans!!!

Yeah, Daddy!!! You found the magic beans!

Liam has been less than interested in potty training save sitting on the potty before bath time which he's done since 18 mos. However, Daddy thought it would be a fun experiment to give Liam "Chocolate Pop Rocks" one night after going potty. He loved them and laughed and laughed and, of course, we laughed and laughed, too. The next morning, Liam woke up and headed straight for the potty asking for "Choc Pop Rocks"!!!! I couldn't believe it...after all of the trialing and erroring Mommy's been doing, Daddy found the Magic Beans!!!

Liam's been in big boy underpants since...now if we can just help him figure out "everything" goes in the potty!!!!

April Fools!

Liam and I were so excited to find a 4-leaf clover in our own back yard today!!!! But, what does it mean when you find one on April Fools Day? I guess the joke's on us!