Birthday celebration

Poor second children. Especially when they are actually the third and fourth children. Meaning that they really don't have any chance to have an actual birthday party.

We celebrated Will and Helen's birthday by going out for Mexican food. So it wasn't much different than any other weekend night.

Gransan did, however, splurge for a small cake from Dacapo's. When we got home, we plopped Will and Helen down on the kitchen counter and sang "Happy Birthday."

Chocolate birthday cake, since Gransan was paying

"Happy You You!"


The birthday boy is all smiles


Birthday girl digging in

We also opened presents. Oddly, even though neither Will nor Helen has ever been to an actual birthday party to my knowledge (they were sick for the boys' party, and they haven't been able to attend any of their classmates' parties yet because the boys' t-ball games have conflicted), they seem to know what it's all about. The mere sight of a birthday cake, and they start saying "Happy You You!" (or, as Will even more adorably says, "Happy Woo Woo!"). And as soon as we brought out the presents, Helen started screeching, "Presents! I want presents!" We asked her if she knew who the presents were for and she exclaimed, "Yes! Joe Joe and Charlie!" So that's when we remembered that even though they missed the boys' party, they watched them open presents, so I guess that's where they learned about that aspect.

Joe giving Helen a lesson on how to open birthday presents


And Charlie showing Will the present-opening ropes


Helen checking out the pink car that Joseph got her (he got Will a dinosaur)


Charlie showing Helen how to use the baseball glove he got her (he also got Will a glove)


Now that they've got the hang of things, they're looking for more presents (they also got new backpacks from Gransan and Grandad, and a puzzle toy from Mom)


And they got their own little basketball goal from Dad, which Helen wore as a necklace for awhile


Then Dad put it on the fence at just their height and tried to show them how to shoot it


Helen finally got it - slam dunk!

All in all, not a fancy birthday, but a very enjoyable evening nonetheless. Happy birthday Will and Helen!