3 Birthdays in a nutshell

The beginning of August is such a busy month for us. Three birthdays in ten days. This year we partied hard. First up was my dear hubby's special day. I decided to make a "special" cake for my special guy. The guy who rarely east sugary goodness or toast for that matter...or bread of any kind. His motto is why eat carbs, when you can drink them? I still can't comprehend his restraint with all things floury, but I am really not complaining because have you seen his muscles lately???? I should probably refrain from bread to, but I am weak. Anyhow, the cake.....low carb, made from black beans, no refined sugar only honey....and lots of eggs, which happen to be Patrick's favorite food. Batter tasted alright....cake, a little less than alright. I am convinced there is no good cake without flour or sugar. I'll try to think of something for next year. Until then, black beans for burritos, not cake. On a more festive note. His great friend from Texas helped him buy stereo speakers for the pool. I am currently listening to Bon Jovi blaring outside. I love Bon Jovi. My kids can sing Bon Jovi. I am proud and remembering a summer spent with a friend, a boombox, and Bon Jovi lyrics.

Next was Luke's day. He is 11. I can't believe it. He can babysit himself and sleeping babies while I run errands (wow....). He is becoming quite perceptive as to my status during the day. He can sense frustration and generally tries to rally the troops to avoid overflow. Most remarkably, he does this without looking for wine or wineglasses as a sign. He just gets it, most days. Any future wife will be blessed! He is turning into quite the gentleman, and it is fun to enjoy a conversation with him. His sense of humor makes me laugh, reminds me of his father. He is quite adept at showering little brothers and assisting a 3 year-old with the potty. This is no small feat. He can unload the dishwasher in record time most days, and despite asking every Thursday for the ratio of milk to flour, he can make great biscuits and gravy. We love him and are so thankful for him and his helping hands.

Then came Max....Three?! Max just makes us laugh. His face crinkles when he laughs and he laughs a lot, when he isn't yelling to tell a story. Or just yelling to yell. He is three. He enjoyed his day, with a pool party the day before and a dance at church in the evening. He is three going on thirty. He loves to have big kids jobs (when he feels like working). He loves to be outside digging. He loves his little sister and all the big kids before him. He is a blessing. He is such a special guy. He will start preschool this week. Perhaps this will help all of us get school done in an efficient manner. He likes the school. They have screwdrivers and screws...and he can use them!