Spencer's Family Party

We had grand intentions of visiting the Playmobil Park (aka Legoland but for little kids).  We went last year for Spencer's birthday but we figured it would still be fun.  Well, as the day neared, the weather forecast predicted cold weather and rain (the only day out of the whole week it was supposed to be bad weather).  Brian had been out of town all week and I had been busy with end of school stuff for the girls. So we just decided to do a low key party opening presents and cake and ice cream.

These are just some cute pictures of Spencer playing with his trains before we brought presents out.  He's looking so old, huh?

This is one of the funniest things Spencer does.  When he doesn't want you to do something, or he's super bummed on something, he hangs his head and shoulders with a pouty look.  It's actually quite funny cuz it's so dramatic.  I've been trying to catch it on video but haven't ever been able to.

PRESENTS!!!

Brian helping  Spencer open presents...

Here is a video of him opening presents. It's a couple minutes long so it could get boring.  At least watch it at the following times:
1. Up until about :20
2. Then again at 1:20 and 3:30 (where you see the present that ruined his birthday.. see explanation below).  You'll see him "signing" for Help when he puts his two hands together and lifts them up. He wants us to help him open it.
3. 1:43 when he sees the presents.  It's cute cuz these are the ones he's been playing with at the toystore for about 6 months.
4. At 2:15 he does something really funny in response to someone flying one of his toys.

 And we were trying to figure out which present would ruin the rest of his presents.  Some of us guessed the "Shake Shake Bridge" from Thomas the Tank Engine and some of us guessed the race car track.  Of all things, it was the silly Thomas track refill pack.  Watch in the video. He keeps pointing to it.

Playing with his new toys... The "Thomas Misty Island Shake Shake Bridge"

Aren't these next pictures awesome? Xanthe was taking them with our new camera we got.  And almost all of the credit goes to Xanthe, not just the camera itself, because when I was trying to take pictures with the same camera, they turned out crappy. Hers are all artsy.  I swear, these girls are so talented.

Some cute pictures of Spencer playing... just had to add them just because...

His carpet car track.  We kinda forgot we bought him this.  He was gifted from a friend of ours a whole Hot Wheels carrier case without about 100 cars in it.  We've been hiding this in the garage.  It wasn't one of his favorites, but he still played with it. Maybe he will like it more after the other toys wear off.

So, Brian decided to get Spencer a gift himself, even after I had already bought a bunch.  Come to find out it was a "Connie Chung gift" (a Simpsons reference... it's a gift you give someone but in actuality you really want it for yourself) because this was something he always wanted as a kid, but never had one.  He was as excited as a 7 year old boy to put it together with Spencer.  I'm thinkin he's not gonna be happy with the simple circle track that it came with.  He'll be collecting more.  Check out the cars it comes with.  Pretty intense.

(more artsy pictures from Xanthe)

(I think these two were my crappy pictures)

(Everyone gettin their game on!  All of the stuff being set up.)

Xanthe decorating the cake!

I made a pudding cake (yellow cake with pudding poured over the top after it is baked. It soaks into the holes you make with the back of a wooden spoon) for Brian because he has been asking for one for a long time.  I figured Father's Day was the next day so... why not?

Cake Time!

Singing Happy Birthday.  

Surprisingly he wasn't freaked out like I thought he was going to be.  Guess he is growing up after all. :)

I'm posting this video, but not happily.  I look so horrible in it. Everyone knows how much I hate my profile and just... bleh to the whole thing. But after you get past the first few seconds it's cute to see spencer blowing his candles out. This is kind of a big thing and we were surprised he could do it (didn't catch our reaction on camera).  Remember how he can't talk yet?  Part of it is the fact that the brain waves that tell his mouth to move in certain ways is getting mixed up.  So we have been working on him being able to blow by using whistles and blowing ping pong balls off a table.  So, this was kind of a huge thing that he could do it all by himself.  Yay Spencer!