Ben's Birthday Weekend (Part 1) - "Breakin' the Law!"

Last weekend Ben had three days of birthday celebrations.  We started the celebration last Friday morning when Jill and I sung "Happy Birthday" to Ben about 10 times.  He was looking at us like we were crazy! ...but still smiling the whole time.

This card was one of those cards that 'sings' when you open it - it would say, "HURRAY!  BENJAMIN!" and then sing a form of Happy Birthday to him.  Ben thought this was the coolest thing and he must have opened and closed that card about 23 times, laughing every time that it called out his name. 

So now you know weren't going to have to get him speaking cards from now on....  

In preparation for Ben's "Puppy Party" we put up a bunch of big vinyl doggie stickers up on our living room wall the night before his birthday.  He loved them!  He spent quite a bit of time when he saw them petting each dog.

Then he gave every one of them a big kiss!

We're going to move them up to his room soon so he can pet them every morning when he wakes up and in the evening when he goes to sleep.  Of course, he can also pet his realy puppy Lybbie too!

That Friday evening we all celebrated Ben's actual birthday with his Grandma Jean & Grandma Eileen & Grandpa Ed.  He had is first cupcake too, and we let him go to town with it.

Then we opened presents...  ahhh..presents.  Ben got lots of nice fun things to play with.  Like a kitchen?!

I think Mommy wants Benjamin to learn how to cook like his Daddy.  Also, maybe if he has his own kitchen cabinets, he'll stay out of ours!  I doubt that very much...

He also got a big blow up ball pit, and he thought that was pretty cool too.

Ben got many presents, but I think his favorite present was the one that I was most excited about giving him...  A new Kawasaki ATV!

Oh Yeah!!

Battery powered, (yes Ben is going Green too) All he needs to do is push the little button on the handle bars and off he goes!  And off he did go, right into the front door!  

So we quickly realized that this was an outside toy.  He figured out how to drive it pretty easily, although he's drives a little like an old lady - he's on and off the throttle and he hits a lot of things.  I'm sure he'll get better in time.  I'll be teaching him how to peel out and do power slides and such.

It also could be because he was driving around with his cell phone... 

He wouldn't let go of that cell phone! 

I don't know if the laws apply to texting while on battery powered ATVs, so we let him break the law and keep the phone.  Our little rebel. 

So Ben had a great birthday... but this was just the start of it.  Tomorrow was his BIG celebration - and he doesn't even know it yet. 

We still can't believe he's one already!  This year has gone by so fast!

Happy Birthday Benjamin!