28/52 - a birthday bus ride

It was a big birthday weekend celebrating three years of our little man, Eli. 

We go big on birthdays around here... not so much on gifts as traditions, fun and fuss. We aim to celebrate that person and pile as much birthday love on top of them as we can. And it was fun to do that for our little man who will take any excuse for a good time!

We started with a restaurant dinner on Friday (a last minute plan due to a free meal on offer!) which was a really lovely time, then Saturday we planned to take the kids on a bus ride! They had never been on a bus before and we knew Eli would LOVE the novelty of it as he always shrieks with joy whenever he spots a bus around town. I realise this sounds a bit strange for those whom catching buses is a daily reality, but for them - it was big excitement. We caught the bus down to the lake, popped by a cafe for a babycino (oh, how times have changed when you take your three year old out for a birthday 'coffee' haha), and a stroll around the lake, exploring the shore and greeting every.dog.that.passed. Then a second bus ride home - good times!

A lovely morning out was followed by a family birthday dinner with my parents that evening.  So pretty much the best birthday a three year old could hope for, by all accounts :)

Lily

She love.love.loved the bus ride. Kept exclaiming how fun it was, over and over. Took everything in, asked 1,000 questions, didn't want to get off... and sweetly (and unprompted) said 'Thank you for the bus ride!' to the rather grumpy bus driver as we exited.

Oh - and for Eli's birthday she put together a birthday box with two drawings and a pair of scissors. He has already been using them (while monitored, lest he go on a snipping rampage) but Lily clearly decided three was the age to officially grant her brother licence to use such a 'big kid' implement. A coming of age rite, indeed!

Eli

I expected him to bounce and squeal, want to run all over or at least kneel up on the seat and peer out the window. Instead, enthralled and fascinated, he was happy to quietly sit next to his sister (on the inside row) and peer about, drinking it all in. He assured me he could see just fine, and earnestly asked about every sign and item on the bus, then watched the tree tops whizz by. 

This sweet, quiet moment was taken on the bus trip home.... oh, I love this boy.

Miles

I mean, seriously. His signature furrowed left brow just kills me.

Project 52: A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2013.

More highlights from the week that was...

Friday night out to dinner at a restaurant... super exciting for the kids. Mark dressed
the kids in these adorable outfits and I was pretty impressed with the cute overload!

'How old are you now, Eli?"

The wait for the bus was truly intense. They were NOT going to miss that bus. Eagle eyes trained, no parents
permitted to block their view of the hill, Lily's armed prepared to wave it down with vigour :)

Anticipation is high.

My sweet boy. Love this shot... first moments on the bus, big eyes drinking it all in, safely by his sister's side.

So much to see and explore in this big wide world...

Just hanging around, being three, on the chin up bar by the lake.
(Those smiling half-moon eyes are his calling card).

Daddy and his Mini-Me. *melt*

Miles fascinated with this strange adventure.

Birthday dinner...

Eli's birthday dinner of choice? Home made pizza of course! As you can see, he prefers the 'clumping' method of
pizza topping application, haha.

One of his gifts... a bed side clip on light. He was enthralled to say the least. As we suspected, the lamp will only be
connected for special reading times, otherwise it would be flicking on and off every five seconds All.Night.Long. I
am not even joking or exaggerating!! He looooves buttons, this kid!
(Lily is getting a lamp for her birthday too, but think she may be old enough to have it up there full time). 

We have a little family tradition of when the kids turn three, they get a jelly 'frog pond' cake. I had this cake when I was three, and it was so delightful to make it for Lily when she turned three. Through the mildest power of suggestion from her, Eli eagerly also chose a jelly cake! Miles doesn't know it yet, but that is what he is choosing too, haha! Simple, easy, yummy jelly covered in lollies - what more could a kid want?!

Layered blue and green jelly, red frogs, chocolate bullet 'logs'
and spearmint leaves with blue 'water' sprinkles!

Taking a new perspective of being 'three'
(with his burnt out sparkler)

After happily borrowing his sisters dress ups for so long, we decided to gift our boy with his own costume.
A firefighter outfit had the double blessing of coming with lots of accessories with buttons to press! The firefighting
role play going on around here is hilarious!! (His other gift was the Jesus Storybook Bible).

Firefighter Eli ready to douse any flames and/or cameras.

P.S. Now that Google Reader has sadly abandoned us all, I had to go a'lookin for a new blog reader. I ended up choosing BlogLovin' and what to do you know, I actually prefer it to Google Reader!! I'm sure there is a lesson there ;) It's so easy to navigate, search and find new blogs and it sends you a handy summary of any new blog posts each day. Lovin' it :) 

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