Batman is 3.5

Somehow time keeps moving on and the one that made me a mom in 2012, he keeps growing up.  While 3 has been VERY challenging (oh my!), it's also a whole new arena of fun that comes with all those challenges.

This kid.  I swear.  I mean look at him.

He got to pick out something to "celebrate" his half birthday yesterday and his dad found these and he immediately had to have them.  I mean check them out with the Batman tool belt.  He won't take it off.  The minute he walks in the house, he de-robes and puts these pjs on.

Three and a half.  The last six months since Charlie turned three, he's just changed and grown so much.  At this age it's just completely amazing to me how in six months how these little people can change.  Charlie's personality has shown up and is in full force.  Good and bad.  

He's got a little attitude for sure.

He has the best imagination; Jimmy and I were talking about how much his independent play time has just taken off and how it's so fun to listen to him play and make up stories with his cars, his super heros and really anything he finds to play with.

He LOVES his sister.  Every night after they get out of the bath he BEGS to have a dance party with Maddie.  It's great.  While he likes to bug the heck out of her and steal toys, etc. from her - however...he has her back.  Always wondering where she is if she's not around, telling her what to do and making sure she's ok and has her coat on, etc.  It's been pretty amazing to see these two's relationship blossom over the last year and a half.  Charlie is really a great big brother!

He loves to pray for his friends and family at night and can even recite the Lord's Prayer (this is thanks to his dad for saying it with him every night putting him to bed when Maddie was a baby- amazing!)

Another one of the amazing things that his dad has taught him?  A love of old music.  This kid blew my mind the other night in the car.  He asked me to listen to music and when I asked him what...he said the EAGLES!  Haha - and then told me specifically, "Take it Easy" and proceeded to sing like half of the lyrics when it was on.  I was blown away - seriously he's a little Jimmy!

He loves doing ninja moves in front of the fireplace (so he can see himself, of course).  And he is also really good at doing ninja dance moves in slow-mo during his dance parties.  It's pretty hilarious.

He is an OK eater - I mean the kid could for sure eat more, but I'm not going to complain.  He's kind of adventurous when he's up for it...so I'll take it.

He's a string bean - only weighing a few pounds more than his pot roast sister, but he wears it well.

He loves school, his teachers and his friends.  It's been a little under 6 months since we moved schools and he transitioned like a rockstar.  He's made so many new friends and after attending some school events and birthday parties with him - I love watching him interact with them!

He loves to read books and is so great at reading with you.  Pretty sure it's all from memorization, but you never know right?  Ha.  His teacher said that he's turned a corner and she loves how she can see him very interested in learning the lessons they are learning at school and that makes me so happy that his interest in learning is there!  Hope he keeps that up!!

I love talking to him at night when I put him to bed.  Even if it delays bed time...it makes me happy to sit there and talk to him about his day and when he asks me to play cars with him for one minute.  These conversations are just amazing and what he says about his day and all his friends and just life. 

He's a huge goof ball and goober and can always make us laugh.  

We love you so so much Charlie Carter.

And even though you don't want to ever take off your pajamas and we have to force you to...we think you are the cutest little man around and have loved watching you grow and change and we cannot wait for all the fun to come. 

And hope that the age of 4 (from an attitude perspective), is a little better than 3 has been like most people have said!!!  I think it will be!

Charlie turns 3 - Minions and water fun!

Here's the thing.  July is BUSY.  Next year I keep telling myself I will be more prepared.  I will start planning for July months in advance next year.  With both my kiddos having birthdays, throw in a national holiday and usually a vacation or two - there doesn't seem to be much down time in July.  Hence, why this year I did not get around to even thinking about a birthday party for Charlie until AFTER Maddie's was over.  Which gave me less than a month to think of a theme/event, get the invites out and enjoy the three year old.

On the flip side?  Charlie didn't even like minions until we went to the lake with Jimmy's family (I am in the midst of finishing that fun post!) and he watched Despicable Me 2 about 45 times with his cousin Will.  So I guess it's good that I procrastinate because his obsessions seem to change quite frequently, so it's hard to keep up!

With that said, last Sunday afternoon, we had ourselves a little Minion party for our 3 year old.  His friends from school/daycare came (which was fun!) and a few old friends and family.  I actually didn't want to have it at our house for multiple reasons, but of course by the time I got around to even thinking about his party, all the places I could think of to reserve were already booked for the time we could have it.  So I sent out the invites saying that we would just have a splash bash (aka run in the sprinklers) in our backyard.  Then the next day I remembered one more place to look at (the Rainbow playset place that you can rent out for parties - would have been perfect and so much easier!); live and learn, right?

So a backyard party we had.

Minions theme was decided on a week prior when this mama asked Charlie what he wanted while we were perusing around Target.  DONE.  Minions were so easy because they are everywhere right now because of the movie.   And I actually loved it!  Just a few small purchases and throw together some snacks and I was done!

Fun party favors were the item that I prepped the week prior - $0.75 tubes of bubbles from Walmart that I put electrical tape around, stuck a white circle sticker on, colored the silver around and put an eyeball.  Then the week before the party, Price Chopper had Despicable Me 2 fruit snacks on super sale for $0.99 a box - DONE.  I was going to give them chocolate, but this seemed even better.

Party City came through with some easy Minion decorations.  And I've deemed this area the new "party set up area" for the time being (before it was in the dining room, which was ok but this seems to make more sense...)

Party was at 3:30 on a Sunday (I know, but we had the Kenny Chesney concert the night before!), so I wanted some light snacks for the kiddos + cake.  Skinny cheddar popcorn, applesauce (both courtesy of CostCo) and then some fun minion chex mix and we called it a day.

The best part about this mix is the minion graham crackers!!  Oh and the fact that Jimmy's party prep job was sorting M&Ms and mowing.  Thanks Jam!

And some easy minion looking lemonade to drink.

Of course, I still had "Happy birthday Maddie" up on the chalkboard wall - so I had to change that up and show off my artistic ability to draw minions.  Ha.

Ok - onto the cute kids.  The best part.

We had a few fun sprinklers set up on each side of the backyard, so kids ran around in those and then put the new playset to good use.  We also had a baby pool down by the patio (which of course the older kids loved!) and then a bubble machine that seemed to be a hit too.  The main issue?  The concrete patio was SO hot and if the kids didn't have any water shoes on they were dying when they walked on it.  Another issue?  There is a leak from a sprinkler underneath our river rock and it was like a moat.  Not good and people/adults got their feet dirty.  Our contractor has to come back and dig up under there to find it.  Sweet.  

But the highlight of the party??  My mom and dad brought a BUNCH of cans of shaving cream and they played "find the minion" with the kiddos.  It was in theory supposed to be a tower, but Jimmy had put water in the baby pool already, so we just made it work.  The kids LOVED getting their arms in the shaving cream and hunting for little minion characters and some farm animal characters.  

Oh and getting dirty and getting hosed off by my dad!  I wish I had a picture of that!!

And don't mind Maddie - she pushed her way through and had shaving cream ALL over her.  Just wanted to be one of the big kids!

Then it was time for a quick change of clothes for the kiddos and to eat cake.  We ordered this cake from Target and Charlie was OBSESSED with it.  I was too considering I just had to order it and pick it up.  Done and done.  They did a great job!

Can I tell you again how much I love our table?  I love how big it is and the bench and everything.  Thank you Jimmy!

Time to sing!!  All the kiddos had some snacks of popcorn and minion chex mix and then sang to our bday boy. He was a little shy, but that's ok.  

Blowing out the candles!!!  Now it was time for CAKE!

After cake, it was the craziness of present opening.  Which actually went slightly better than I imagined because Jimmy stepped up and got the notepad to write down who it was from.  

Essentially Charlie had the best time of his life opening each present.  His face opening each one was like "OH MY GOODNESS" (he'd often say that).  But he loved all of them so much.  Ninja turtle bike helmet, lots of fun minion toys and games, some awesome Cars stuff, movies, etc.  This kid is in 7th heaven playing with all the new stuff. 

But one of the things he will not put down?  His minion light that sings and shines light on his ceiling.  The minute he opened it, he wanted to start playing with it because Kate got it for him.  And he loves Kate.  And guess what?  The newness hasn't worn off yet - this was him going to bed on Monday night, happy as a clam that I let him put it in bed with him.  So sweet!

Finally - after everyone made their exits (btw, it was SOOOOOOOOOO hot.  I wasn't wearing this weird shirt in the beginning, but was literally sweating so hard before the party as I was getting stuff ready that I had to change and this was what a threw on.  Weird and way too big.  Whatevs - I promise I'm wearing shorts!  But I had my mom snap a few family photos and you get to see 2 of them.  

One that everyone is looking at the camera.

And another of the birthday boy smiling.

Overall, we had a great time.  

I was hesitant to invite daycare/school friends because we don't' know their parents that well, but the ones that did come it was so fun to get to talk with them a little more and see our kids play (which they do all day long, but we don't get to see).  Too bad we are moving daycares next week - but I think the parent's at the new school will be just as fun and we will all get to make new friends!!!!

Thanks to everyone that helped celebrate our sweet 3 year old - it's hard to believe how time flies!!!