Happy Birthday Daddy!

Jack's Daddy isn't quite as into celebrating his birth as I am so he actually sticks with a "birthday" rather then a "birthmonth". Odd, no? I was able to parlay it into a two day celebration with a dinner on Sunday with extended family (yesterday) and a mini-celebration at home on the actual day (today).

So last night we went to dinner at Texas de Brazil (home of the most amazing lobster bisque in all creation) with Granny, Gramps, Aunt Sue, Uncle Paul, Mima and PopPop. I neglected to bring my camera to the restaurant (I'm old. I forget things.) but I did get some good before and after pictures. Of Jack - not Mike. Hey this is "Jack's Place" not "Daddy's Place".

Here is the guest of honor (he's always the guest of honor)decked out in his birthday best before dinner on Sunday:


Notice the new haircut? A view of the back:

Who does his hair, you ask? Cristophe? Ken Paves? No, my friend. It's Jack's Daddy! Seriously. He's had no formal training - he's just THAT good. I'm almost hesitant to post that information in such a public forum. Before you know it we'll have Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Anniston calling us 24/7 trying to get an appointment. Sorry, girls - MGif has an exclusive contract with Jack.

Dinner was amazing and SO filling that we opted to bring our dessert home with us as we couldn't eat another bite at the restaurant. When we got home Jack's Daddy went to take the trash out and when he came back in Jack was ready and waiting to surprise him with a birthday song:

Yeah - not so sure what I was doing putting Jack and fire in such close proximity. Makes me nervous just looking at that picture.

Early this morning Jack and I put some decorations in the bathroom so Mike would have a "Happy Birthday" to greet him as soon as he went in to take his shower. How cute are we??

NO those are not spots on our bathroom mirror. They are spots on your computer screen. You should seriously consider cleaning more often.

Today at Mima's house Jack was hard at work making all kinds of birthday surprises. He made his Daddy a birthday cookie cake which he decorated himself with minimal direction from Mima:

Okay so technically she did the frosting stars but he told her where to put every single one!

He planted his Daaddy some sunflowers:

Mima wanted to get Basil since we use that often in rubs for steaks, etc .. but Jack insisted on sunflowers. What's the over/under on how long it takes me to kill them? For those who are not famillar with my gardening skills, I have what I call a "red thumb" (because red is the opposite of green on the color wheel. Ba dum dum.) I could kill a plastic plant. Seriously.

And he also colored a birthday card complete with coupons for some JGif quality time:
Front of card:

Back of card:

Front of coupons:

Back of coupons:


In additon to a new set of golf clubs (I don't have a picture and am entirely too lazy to go take one), Jack and I also got Mike another very special gift which Jack picked out all by himeself:

I asked Jack if he was sure that was what Daddy wanted and not what Jack wanted and he told me "Yes. Daddy LOVES construction vehicles". Well then who am I to deny him?

We wrapped up the evening after Jack went to bed with an AMAZING dinner of "Broiled Tilapia Parmesan" which was by far the best fish dish that Mike and I have ever had and probabally the best meal I have ever actually made with my own two hands:


In closing I'd like to send a special shout out to Granny and Gramps. Twenty-nine years ago today (wink wink) you gave birth to one of the most amazing men to ever walk this Earth and I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am because of it. You raised such an incredible human being and for that Jack and I will forever be in your debt. XOXOXOX

Hop this way!

Today Jack and I went to see the Easter Bunny at the mall. The poor, lonely, neglected Easter Bunny. I've been to the mall at least three times since the Easter Bunny arrived last week and EVERY.single.time I've been there the Easter Bunny was sitting all by his lonesome waiting for someone to come visit him (is it a him?). He/She/It looked so sad (as much as a big faux-fur covered plaster head can look "sad") that I nearly went and sat on his/her/it's lap myself. I decided that I would go into work a little late this morning and take my boy to the mall to brighten the Bunny's day. Lucky Bunny! Um, by the way, did I just admit to being at the mall three times in the last week?

I'd already been telling Jack about the Easter Bunny for the past couple of weeks in anticipation of a visit. I let him know that you can visit the Bunny (Notice how I capitalize that - as if it's his last name or something) at the mall and asked if he wanted to go see him (I'm sticking with "him"). He asked me if he could bring his list. As in "The List". Okay so maybe having a multi-page, color, bound and laminated Christmas list was a bad precedence to set for the boy. Point noted. I told him we didn't need to b/c the Easter Bunny only brought small goodies to fill his basket. His response - I kid you not- "I need a BIG basket". Is he his mother's son or what!? Anyway, I guess I never really thought about the fact that when Jack hears me speak of the "Easter BUNNY" he pictures something entirely different then we do. In the car on the way there ...

Me: Jack are you excited!? We are going to see the Easter Bunny! YEY!
Jack: Yippee! Yahoo! I SO excited. I gonna pet the Easter Bunny on my lap.
Me: Well you'll be on the Easter Bunny's Lap.
Jack: (laughing) Noooooo! I too big! The Bunny will sit on MY lap. Yippee! I gonna show The Bunny my dinosaur book. He's gonna say "Ohhhh Jackie that's a nice book!"
Me: (Suddenly realizing that Jack thinks the bunny we are going to see is actually bunny-sized) Oh no sweetheart, this bunny is BIG! You sit on The Bunny's lap like you sit on Santa's lap. He walks like a person. But I don't think he talks - just nods alot. Oh and he will most likely be wearing clothing of some sort. The Bunny is as big as mommy. Maybe bigger even. Heck I bet his ears alone are as big as you are!

Jack got very quiet after that. As I looked back I saw what could only be described as a blank stare of fear. The kid did not say one more word for the rest of the drive and if you know my kid - you know that says a LOT! Oops. Oh by the way I just came with a new nickname for "The Bunny". TBun. Learn it. Love it.

On to pictures.

Mr. GQ smooth modeling his outfit when upon leaving the house:


I asked him to pose like a bunny. Here is what I got:

I was like "You're giving me bear! I need bunny!". He threw a piece of grass at me and ran away. Tempremental models! He's like the Naomi Campbell of the toddler world.

Here he is in the car reading the dinosaur book he was planning to share with TBun. Upon arrival he decided that the dinosaur book would be "too scary" for TBun so we ended up leaving it in the car:


We arrived at the TBun staging area right at 10:00 when they supposedly opened. TBun showed up fashionably late at about 10:10 (cough ...Diva...cough). We were second in line so we only had about a 2 minute wait once they got the show on the road.

Behind the velvet rope:

For some reason every time I ask him to smile these days he does this thing where he sucks in his lower lip and all but closes his eyes. Guess that is his new "smile face". Lovely!

TBun arrives:


Jack's face when he laid eyes on TBun for the first time:


Upon arrival TBun took a walk through the line (which consisted of about 5 people. Poor TBun. Santa gets all the love!) and shook hands with his fans:


After some gentle coaxing which included me sitting down next to TBun and complimenting him on his bowtie, Jack warmed up and sat down on the bench himself. He seemed pretty content - tho it still looked like he might run for the hills at any moment:


Sorry they are a bit blurry. Since they take and sell photographs there I believe you are technically not allowed to take any of your own - so I was technically trying to hurry :)

Is it me or do Jack and TBun have exactly the same expression on their faces?


I have one more really good one - the one I purchased from the mall people - but it's an actual 5x7 and I haven't had a chance to scan it in yet. And by "haven't had a chance" I mean "have no idea how". Hopefully I can get that done tonight at home. And by "I", I mean "Mike". :)

Have a great weekend!