Celebrate

I like to stretch my birthday celebrations out for as long as possible.  Friday night my in-laws took us out to dinner.  Today we celebrated at Mom and Dad's with the MOST delicious lunch ever...Chicken Florentine, ravioli with balsamic brown butter and walnuts, caramelized pancetta and fennel salad, and a cocoa pound cake with creme anglaise.  YUM! 

Jamesie helped Mom by placing the candles on my cake with his own special flair.

Then he helped me blow out the candles.

He also helped me open all of my special gifts.  He is such a good helper.

As I was, he was tremendously thrilled with my new deep fryer.  What can I say?  This pregnant gal needs her fried food.

We had so much fun!  Until James decided to throw a great big fit and not pick up the toys.  He was up super late thanks to the speed I gave him in the form of cough syrup.  Then he was up and ready to party at 4:00 am.  So what ensued was a massive-melt-down-snot-flinging-fit that got him some corner time.  When he finally decided to pick up his toys he more threw them in the toy box than placed them.  Which earned him more corner time.  Then he had to apologize to Nana and Papa for acting so ugly.

The boys are in bed now and I just turned on the monitor and heard James telling Jude, "I didn't put up the toys at Nana's."  Clearly he is writhing in his guilt and trying to talk it through with his bro.  I believe that talk therapy is very effective.  He will sleep much better tonight.