Birthday Bash For 3 Year Old Cash!!!

This celebration started well before Thursday. In fact, I started making his cake on Tuesday, and good thing too because it took me WAY longer than expected. Total time was probably somewhere around 10 hours. WAY TOO LONG!!! After the Lightning Mcqueen cake for Griffin Chip asked me how I could top that and that the expectation was now high. Cash and I looked for cakes online and at first he wanted a Buzz Lightyear cake, then that turned into a Tigris cake from Kung Fu panda, then it was Mickey Mouse clubhouse, then it was Perry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb, and then he went back to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cake we had seen! It was cute and I thought it wouldn't be too difficult.

Let me just say one thing about cakes. I DON'T like making fondant ones, specifically COLORED Fondant - it was extremely difficult and I have all the more respect for those who make wedding cakes and other very awesome fondant cakes. It was much more work than I anticipated, although the end result and the look on Cash's face when he saw it totally finished was worth the work. I love you my little Cashee boy! Enjoy the pics of the festivities of his day!!!

A little preview of his cake the night before (although missing the figurines and the final touches here)

It's the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!!!!

Breakfast of choice: cinnamon french toast with chocolate milk!!!

Must be good!

After breakfast we headed to Richmond to meet up with my cousin Chelsea and her kids and my aunt Suzie at the Botanical gardens. It was beautiful and had so many fun things for kids. They played in the water, then we picnicked in the park and Cash got a couple gifts. Here he is with Chloe and his gifts. What a lucky boy.

I wanted to bring Chloe home with me - she is SOOOOO good with little kids and was so helpful to my 2 boys. They loved her immediately and if she lived close by I would hire her to be my helper all the time (pending Chels could share her!) She is darling and so sweet!

So much fun at the climbing tree!

We also got to meet Gigi for the first time - she is such a cute baby. Chelsea and 8 month old Marjorie Kate! Fun to catch up with Chels.

Here is Evelyn on the left, and Felix on the right, and Berkley in the middle. Evi and Felix are Chelseas kids too and so cute and fun. Cash had a great time with them.

Cash didn't want to climb up as high as them, but he still had fun on this great big climbing tree! He has the Rosen gene of rosey cheeks when it is warm - and it was SOOO HOT!!!

Griffin is a little daredevil and had a great time playing too!

Next was the sandbox, and after China I was a little leery since we couldn't let our kids play in them there, but my boys loved it! Griffin even sat there for 1/2 hour playing, and NOT eating the dirt at all. It was great fun!

Then it was home, and after 3 hours of being in a traffic jam due to construction we finally made it - just in time to add the finishing touches to the cake, order and eat some pizza, clean up the family room (to Cash's request) and assemble ourselves again in time for guests to come over. Daddy was stuck up in DC traffic on his way back from Chicago and barely made it in time for the part too! But boy was it a great party. Cash was so excited and we all had a great time. Thanks to our wonderful friends who came and made his day special!

The cake, ready for guests to come over!

Happy Birthday Cash!

Looks so fun!

His name, the path, the fence, slide, shoe, clubhouse, and glove were all made of fondant - the bigger items were rice krispy treats covered in fondant! ooey gooey!!!

m-i-c-k-e-y!!!

Cash was so excited about his cake!!!

Checking it all out!

He helped pick where the figurines went!

angel boy!

look at that!

Poser!!!

Every kids dream!

super fun!

After daddy got home we hurried and lit the candle and sang!

Cash loves everyone singing to him!

He was beaming!

Checking out all the singers!

Ready, set, blow!!!

He got it! First try!

Then it was present time, and his friends were ready to help!

Bennet was SOOO expressive and kept saying "O", "O", to all the gifts! So adorable!

What is it?

Getting some help from friends with presents!

Next! Hands off!

His friends know him well -- he got a TON of Toy Story things!

Kendal and Killean with their gift to him - my favorite and something I have been looking for - felt boards with items that will be perfect for church!!!

Daddy got in on the action to help with gifts!!!

Cash has been talking non-stop about getting a Big Buzzy for the past 6 months. He tells everyone he is getting one for his birthday, and every time we go to the store he asks to go to the toy section to look at them, but not to get them, to just look because he is getting one for his birthday. On the morning of his birthday he asked if we could go to the toy store to get the one the sales lady was saving for him. (I had her tell him she would save it when I actually bought it with him there and bag it so he couldn't see....he was so good and although his lip quivered as he tried not to cry, we did make it out of the store with him thinking it was still there til his birthday, while me getting the last one and putting it in the trunk in front of his eyes. When he came downstairs he saw the presents and said "maybe one of them is a big Buzz mom! I think one is!" When he started opening presents he just was going through them so fast and kept wanting to get the big ones that were from mom and dad. We finally decided that he could open just 1 from us while his friends were all here.......so here it goes!!!

Opening what?.......the big BUZZ!!!

He was SOOOO excited, but turned to show the other people on that side of him first!!!

PURE JOY!!!

Happiest 3 year old ever. "It's just what I wanted mom!!! I got it because I am a good boy!"

He wouldn't put it down once he had it!

He even brought it downstairs to "watch" him swing at the pinata. (We tried to get a mickey mouse one to go with the theme but all the stores were out so we settled on a lightning mcqueen)

Daddy did the rope, and the kids swung!!!

Lucy getting ready for her turn!

Loved watching Chip enjoy it as much as the kids!

Hit it!

Killean takes a turn!

Cash was just happy here because he is holding on to the Buzzy box!

See mom!

My most favorite toy - the space ranger!

All the little kids went first and then it was the big kids turn - Jaden takes a few swings here!

Then the dads turn - here is Mike in action - love the faces of everyone behind him.

Where is it? Again, the faces of the crowd are great!

Totally wish I had a video of daddy trying. It was hilarious, but I didn't have my phone til his turn was over. Get it daddy, get it! Seriously entertaining!

We let Cash try to break it after everyone had their turns - he did pretty good!!! After Lance bashed the rest of it and the kids got all the goodies!

We didn't even finish opening presents after people left because he was so happy with his Buzz, we were all tired, and it was bedtime. So instead he told us we could wake up and open them the next morning!!!

He woke us up early again so we could open presents. Looking a little tired still here!

Think this presents tops all!

"Buzzy needs to watch me open them mom!"

What is it?

A way cool book of puzzles!

Cheese!

Which one next?

Such concentration!!!

I enjoyed watching him open them all by himself - a present pro now!

Gift from Grammy!

YEAH!!!!! Toy Story legos!!! "Ooh, I love them"!

What a great week of celebrating my handsome little buddy Cash!!! I love you with all my heart and am so glad I have had you for the past 3 years. Your sweet spirit, super smart memory, and the millions of "I love you and I think you are pretty moms" melt my heart heart each time. I love having you at home and am so happy you had "the bestest birthday you ever had!" (in his words) Happy 3rd birthday to my little Cash Owen Brown!!!