Look Who's 3!

During Jonathan's nap, I gathered all his gifts and put them out so he'd be able to open them once he woke up.

When he got up from his nap, he walked right past them without even noticing. Once I got him to turn around, he went straight for that lawn mower and started 'cleaning the house' (he kept calling it a vacuum!)

It took Clara a little longer to get up from her nap, and I made Jonathan wait for her before he opened all his gifts. I told him he could go tell her to get up. He went running to her room and yelled, "Get up Sissy, I want to open my presents!" She was kind enough to get up then. I think she was just as excited to see what he got.

Grandma Yonka and Grandpa Michael sent this cool train puzzle. It was the first thing he opened, and he was ready to just play with that, not at all worried about opening any more presents. I had to get him to set it aside and open some more.

Gift from Clara...

...his own bug jar, for our cricket-catching walks!

Another present from Grandma Yonka and Grandpa Michael...

...a new birthday hat!

Our neighbors stopped in just as we were opening presents, with another gift for the birthday boy...PJ's and fire truck slippers. He was VERY excited about the slippers (he's always had a thing for feet and shoes!)

A gift from Daddy... His 'Daddy Jacket' (a flight suit with patches, just like Daddy's).

He had to put it on right away (with his new slippers, too)! Clara said, "Now I don't have to miss Daddy so much. If I miss him, I can just ask Jonathan to go put on his 'Daddy Jacket' and then I won't miss him as much!" She's also working on plans to figure out how to build a ship out of pillows and stuffed animals, so they can pretend to be at work with Daddy!

Jonathan also had a few cards from Grandma Yonka and Grandpa Michael.

Jonathan tried to pull the tissue out of this bag, but it wouldn't come...

From that point on, he devised a new way to find out what was hiding in the gift bags, just dump them out!

See, it worked, he found this police truck hiding in that bag!

"Oooo, Hulk Hands!" (He dumped this bag out too!)

You can see the Hulk Hands there to his right, and his new Batman car there too!

Another card from Grandma and Grandpa

That card had stickers, he had to wear them ALL, of course!

The Birthday Boy with hat and button!

Chris sent some stuff for Clara when he sent the patches for Jonathan's flight suit. I held on to Clara's stuff to give to her today so she wouldn't feel left out. Daddy got her this fan, a flower paper weight type thing...

...and this butterfly scarf. Clara thought it was 'pretty cool that Daddy didn't want her to feel left out today'.

After opening gifts, we headed out to Applebee's for dinner. My neighbor and her 2 boys were meeting us (her husband is currently deployed as well, and I figured it was as good a reason as any for a good meal she didn't have to cook).

Jonathan insisted on wearing his hat to Applebee's. I didn't take any pictures while we were there though. Despite our attempt to get there before the Friday crowd, we had a bit of a wait for a table since there was 6 of us. Once we told the host that we could fit in a regular booth since all the kids were young (small), we were seated almost immediately, but by that time the kids were all a little restless and hungry, so I thought it best not to pull out the camera at that point. Still, it was great to have some friends come along and help us celebrate!

Jonathan's cake. I decided that with the craziness we already had planned for this day I wouldn't even attempt to make Jonathan's cake, so we ordered one from the Commissary. Jonathan picked out this car cake on his own.

Happy Birthday! It's so fun to see him really enjoy his special day!

Posing with the cake!

Clara decided to wear her new scarf from Daddy while she ate her cake.

Checking out the sprinkles from the cake.

Yum!

We didn't let balloons go, but I did still get him a few.

Just before bed time I asked Clara to get my picture with the Birthday Boy, but she insisted I take theirs first.

My Birthday Buddy!

He seemed to have a good day. He was in great spirits all day, even with all the running around, and he was most excited to get that flight suit from his Daddy. I knew he would be, I only wish Chris was here to give it to him himself. My phone was ringing off the hook today with people calling to wish him a Happy Birthday (sorry if we missed your call, I tried to return calls, but it was a bit of a hectic day!)

I can't believe he's 3 already, it certainly doesn't seem possible, and yet just as I said about Chris and Clara on other 'special days', it's hard to remember what life was like before Jonathan was in it.

Happy Birthday, Jonathan! I love you!