Edison's Fourth Birthday

What a perfect day Eddie's birthday was this year. The day before we made Eddie's rocket cake. He chose a chocolate cake with red frosting. I was worried we wouldn't be able to make the frosting look truly red. I told him it might take a lot of food coloring. I then turned my back for half a second while he poured in all the red food coloring we had (3/4 of a bottle). And it was red!!

Eddie chose candy corns and M&Ms for decorating the cake. He thought the candy corns would make a good nose (notice the two "noses" standing up on the nose of the rocket) and good fire coming out the back of the rocket. Good idea.

Eddie was so excited for his birthday this year that he couldn't go to sleep the night before. He literally couldn't hold still. So we had two late nights in a row (July 4th and July 5th); July 6 is not good timing a birthday! He was up on his birthday at 6:30a.m., bouncing on our bed and on me.

When we got up at 7, he ate his standard piece of birthday cake for breakfast (I've always had a cupcake out for them first thing on their birthday; we put a candle in it and sing. This year it was just an edge of cake we'd cut off from the rocket.). Then he didn't know what to do with himself while he waited for Peter to wake up. We decided to make his favorite breakfast-crepes. We had blueberries, his favorite fruit, to go with them. Of course, he mainly ate chocolate chips with his.
After breakfast he got to open his presents first thing. We didn't do this at my house growing up, but it seems like a good idea for kids. This way they can play with their new presents all day. He asked Ben to help him open his presents. Of course that only lasted for the first gift.
He got his first mixed cd! It's full of songs that he's loved throughout his life. Later I will post what they are.
He got walkie talkies. This gift was Ben's idea, and it is perfect for our little Eddie firefighter. Peter's excited about them, too, though he can't figure out how to push the button while talking.
His presents were wrapped in this really cute robot wrapping paper that I was excited about. Eddie didn't comment on it, but Peter did.
He also got this cool rocket and space station that he and Peter love, love, love! Much arguing ensued on who got to play with it. Luckily they have calmed down about it. Peter probably plays with it more, but when Eddie wants it Peter plays with the smaller rocket we already had.
We told Eddie he could choose something fun to do that day. We had a few ideas in mind, in case he needed help, but he came up with Chuck E Cheese on his own. We haven't been there in a year, and he has never asked to go there this past year. Ben had signed Eddie up for their birthday club last year, so we get free coins each year around his birthday. So it worked out perfectly. Peter loved Chuck E Cheese this time around. He ran around and checked out each and every game. He loved running around the tables in the animatronics area; it was like a maze to him. He loved riding "race cars" and playing games, especially one where he had to hit a button that made balls fly into a dogs mouth. He also liked air hockey. Ben went around with Eddie, so I know less about what he liked. We actually earned enough tickets to buy something-candy!
We had to convince Eddie that he didn't want to eat at Chuck E Cheese. It wasn't too hard; we only had to mention Steak & Shake and he was excited. We live right by one, and he always wants to go. We so seldom do that this was a special birthday treat.
Eddie wanted a shake in a big glass, and how could we say no on his birthday? His favorite kind of icecream hasn't changed, mint chocolate chip. He loves the cherry on top!

My friend had called that morning to see if they could come over and swim that afternoon. That sounded fun to Eddie, so after lunch we went swimming at our pool with his friend Jefferson. She brought a fun pool toy, a penguin that swims and dives all over the pool. Eddie loved it and was sad he didn't get to keep it. "Jeff-er-rey" (how Eddie says her name) did bring him a present, though, which was really kind. Eddie loved the fake snake. We invited her to eat cake with us.
Eddie asked at the end of our singing if that was the end of the song before blowing out his candles both times we sang to him today.
After cake we were all exhausted. We had a simple dinner, that I don't think E and P hardly ate. Then we went to bed. Eddie fell asleep so fast! It was a really perfect day for our whole family! Happy four years old, Eddie! We love you!