December 27 = DTA/Brio Day

It's getting cold in Annapolis!  Liam's TMNT vest is serving him well!  Before heading to downtown Annapolis, affectionately known as DTA, Pops took Liam to the playground outside our apartment.  This boy is obsessed with going outside- he's also obsessed with having both hands held and having his hand holders count to three and swing him through the air.  And he's also obsessed with Gigi- if you don't have enough hands to hold Gigi, carrying her in your mouth will have to do!

There's a store in DTA called Irish Traditions and anytime we are close, Zachary and his family stop in- it's a favorite of theirs.  It's really neat- they have clothes and jewelry, baby gifts and information about different Irish families.  Liam enjoyed himself during this trip and tried on this really cool hat.  Also I'm pretty good at taking pictures very quickly before he vehemently takes the hat off.

Later in the day we all went to eat dinner at Zachary's and my favorite new restaurant, Brio.  Liam did not cooperate; Zachary and I took turns walking around outside with him but here's his, "1, 2, 3, weeeeee" action shot on the way back to the car!

September 6 = Birthday Party Day

I love a good theme.  I wasn't super stoked about this year's theme- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- but we let Liam choose between Spider-man and TMNT and he pointed at TMNT so TMNT it was!  

Before the partying could begin, though, we needed a good breakfast.  This was my first (yet successful) attempt at funfetti, birthday pancakes.  Oh my goodness, so good.

Then it was time to get down to business.

These nutritious snacks are supposed to resemble two of the turtles- we also had hamburgers and hotdogs prepared by Daddy the Grill Master.  Then it was time for presents!!

Liam's friend, Jake, helped him open presents- he got a Fisher Price Little People Animal Sounds Farm and tractor to go with it, a cool medical kit in the form of a light-up car, some books, bath towels, a dinosaur whose belly lights up and a cool canvas from Dad with the poem, "To James" on it with a background of two people running.

Here's the poem:

Do you remember how you won that last race

How you flung your body at the start

How your spikes ripped the cinders in the stretch

How you catapulted through the tape

Do you remember

Don't you think I lurched with you

out of those starting holes

Don't you think my sinews tightened

at those first few strides

And when you flew into the stretch

was not all my thrill of a thousand races in your blood

At your final drive through the finish line

Did not my shout tell of the triumphant ecstasy of victory?

Live as I have taught you to run, Boy

It's a short dash

Dig your starting holes deep and firm

Lurch out of them into the straightaway

with all the power that is in you

Look straight ahead to the finish line

Think only of the goal

Run straight

Run high

Run hard

Save nothing

And finish with an ecstatic burst

That carries you hurtling through the tape

To victory.

This was a reading on one of our End of Grade tests in fifth grade that stuck with Zachary for all these years and was what Zachary wanted Liam to feel from him when he was going through all of his health problems.  This should be a special gift- hopefully Liam will keep it forever!

Now it was time for cake!!

 
And then it was time for a bath...

It was an awesome day filled with family, friends and fun- definitely a day to remember!