Turning 4 is a blast...literally!

The whole family got together today to celebrate Lauren's birthday.

It started out with all of us going to church which she loved because her whole class sang "Happy Birthday" to her! And she was thrilled to see an old friend, Sophia, that was also adopted from China.

We all sat 'round while she opened her gifts.

Aunt Tracy showed up with more gifts!

If you look close you can see that instead of giving her Aunt a hug, Lauren has snatched

the giant ball out of her hands and is running for third base!

"I think we should do this everyday!"


Steph got into the spirit of things!

Matt and his girlfriend CJ, looking a little tired after just returning from New York this morning.

Matt has been at the American Comedy Institute attending a training seminar and audition for their year long school- which he was accepted for! So he will be leaving for New York in September, more on that later....

"Grandma, I just love you!"

OK, so here's the cake story...

Mark and I took her out to pick out a cake.

There were princess cakes, flower cakes, cakes with butterflies and beautiful decorations...but does Lauren want them...NOOOOO.

She picks the only monster cake in the bakery!

~sigh~

She cracks me up that girl!

I have about a 100 pictures of her blowing out the candles because she enjoyed this part so much, we lit the candles and sang "Happy Birthday" 4 times.

Yes, we're weird,

but we're happy, how about you?!! :)

More blowing!

(Actually, I am always a little touched when she blows out a candle

because when she came home to us she could not blow at all due to the cleft palate,

so every blow does a little something to my heart.)

What 4 year old's birthday would be complete without dangerous fireworks

and hap-hazard sons playing with them?

Yes, that is a bottle rocket flying out from his hand.

DON'T try this at home please.

And really- don't try this....

they set one in my flowers but it didn't lift off

so it blew my flowers to smithereeens!

Notice the smoke wafting out of the lovely watering can.

Then my son ran away like a little boy and drove

his scared little buns to the store to buy me new flowers LOL!!

It was a very good day, and the passed out child on my bed is living proof of it!!

Happy Birthday sweet darling, we love you!!