The Bookends of Birth and Death

Our morning started WAY too early for the birthday boy, with us having to leave the house at 7 so that we could be at our new house in time for the fridge to be delivered. We woke him up singing to him and loving on him, but he really wasn't ready for it.

 He started feeling a little more like himself when he saw that we were having Dinosaur Egg oatmeal for breakfast!

 After eating all the candy dinos, he was his regular smiley self and  was ready to meet the day!

 After hanging out at our house for a couple of hours, and then grocery shopping for a couple more hours, we came home and had birthday sausages, apples with caramel dip, and monkey bread...some of his favorite foods.

Afterwards we sang him happy birthday over a strawberry cheesecake that Daddy picked out for him at Costco.

 He really loved it!

 Then it was on to present unwrapping time! (Don't you love the wrapping paper?!) He got a couple of cool Hotwheels cars - one that glows in the dark, one that changes colors with water, one that was super fast, and one that changed colors with a little laser flashlight (Daddy loved that one best!). He also got a lady bug pillow pal, an electric toothbrush, and a toy measuring tape. All his gifts were a huge hit!

 Duncan broke his pillow pal in while everyone played with Emmy's toys. He says it passes his inspection and really is a great pal to have when you are lounging around.

 Later on, while we were all watching a movie, I found the little birthday sneak in the kitchen munching on more cheesecake...he thought he was so funny. At least he was using a spoon though, right? He could have just gone in fist first!

 Overall, I think he had a great birthday. Owen said that it was the best birthday that Emmett has ever had, and Garrett said it was the best brother birthday he has ever got to participate in. We spent time as a family, we played at our new house, the three-year-old got a new fridge for a present, we watched a couple of movies at the apartment, and we started packing everything up to move into our house tomorrow...it was a full day!

Emmett is such a fun little man - so full of life and so excited to be happy at the slightest provocation. He loves his family to no end, and adores his baby brother intently. His favorite color is "bah-lou". He loves 'bum' (gum), 'popsnickles', lollipops, and cereal. His favorite foods are noodles, sticky rice, pizza, salad, and broccoli. He won't stay in his bed by himself so he usually ends up sleeping with either Teagan or Garrett so he has a cuddle buddy with him; but still comes into our bed around 5 every morning because he says he hears monsters and is scared. He would take 5 baths a day if we let him, and loves playing with bubbles and water. If it ever gets quiet when he is around, it generally means that he is up to some sort of mischief. He is cute, cuddly, smart, ingenious, sneaky, a flirt, super loving, energetic, fearless, and all boy!

It was a happy, happy birthday for my boy!

And on this day when we have been celebrating Emmett's life, I am also mourning the loss of a friend of mine.



I got this lucky bamboo plant almost 11 years ago on an anniversary date Scott and I went on with some friends. It has moved cross country with us from Georgia to Utah. It has cheered up our house with it's greenery twists and turns and now it is dead. Scott let it sleep in the car for one night when I was down in Delta with his parents and the cold was too much for my lucky bamboo friend to tolerate. The middle stalk is still battling to stay alive, but the little ones and the twisty guy all gave up the fight and had to be thrown out tonight.

Yeah, Scott thinks I am crazy for missing a plant so much, too. You're not the only one thinking that!