Birthday boy

This boy turned three a week from last Monday:

Which gives me the inevitable pitt in my stomach that reminds me that kids really do grow up and mine are no exception.

But I'll stop it with all the "mom-sap" because we had a BLAST!

Hallie has taken it upon herself to decorate the chair of every birthday boy or girl in our family.  

She's sweet like that.

She even made him that cute placemat and set up the mysterious star wars figures that her dad pulled out that she still has no idea where he gets ;)

And I think it's safe to say that Chan was happy as a clam to wake up to it all.

We all clapped and cheered the moment he walked into the living room that morning and Hallie bent down and gave him the sweetest hug and kiss on the cheek.

We got him four presents that were absolute Chandler necessities.

1.  Light Saber.  This was from Hallie who picked it out weeks ago and was nothing but eager beaver to see the look on his face when she took it out from behind her back.

2.  Boots! ....ever since he lost his own rain boots about five months ago, he's been stomping around in Hallie's old pink and brown winter boots, and I can't tell you just how good it feels to put them back into storage where they belong!

I know this picture is blurry but it captures just how happy Chan was to see those.

3.  Helmet.

Can you believe it's taken this poor kid's parents three whole years to get him what he's always wanted his whole entire life?

And it didn't take long before he had that thing securely snapped and in place.

4.  Luke Skywalker costume.

Need I say more?

All the bases were covered.  The only other thing that I really really reeeeeaaally wanted him to have was a Captain America mask that I saw at TJ Maxx, but successfully used every fiber of my being to leave there.

Which is why I was absolutely elated when he opened it up at my mom and Jim's a week later!

They also gave him this super cute dinosaur shirt that he's wanted to wear pretty much every day since.

His Firmage grandparents gave him some fun and newer star wars toys that he loves, and a fun magnetic Noah's ark set.  I'd say he made out pretty well.

I just can't believe this boy is three.

With all of his natural silliness still intact thank heavens. 

He is pure sweetness.

I mean just look at this face:

I don't think there is any part of it that has gone un-kissed by his hopelessly devoted mother.

Did you know that every time I open him up a pouch of fruit snacks he reaches in and gives me the first one?  "Here mom."  

He even broke off a piece of his chocolate chip cookie today at lunch and handed it to me.  He said, "here, you wanna share mom?"

And it turns my heart to complete mush when he'll randomly say, "I really love you mom."

Oh how I love him too.

Happy Birthday Chan.  Thank you so very much for adding an abundance of joy to all of our lives!