Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Man, has it really been three months?  I guess it has....  Well my first blogging hiatus was self-inflicted.  Just needed some time to break away...honestly I use this blog as a way to get my thoughts out and sometimes I just didn't like what was coming out of my head.  But this time...this break in the chronology of the Schmidt house...well, it was more the result of this guy....

Don't let that sweet face fool you.  He's a stinker to the max...the King Stinker, in fact.  That sly smile he gives you from across the room is the first clue he's about to find himself some good, old-fashioned trouble.  Yes, this was the smile he gave me right before attacking the computer and ripping off the space bar from my keyboard (along with a few other not-so-essential keys).  See?  Stinker.  Kind of put a cramp in the blog roll since I didn't figure readers (are you still out there?) wouldwanttoread75paragraphsofthis.  So three months has passed and I still haven't gotten a new keyboard (which would actually be a new computer since we only have the laptop), but I have figured out that if you press down on just the right spot in the void that used to be the space bar with just the right pressure it's still somewhat functional...somewhat...

Anyway, back to the post at hand.  It's Gregg's birthday!!!  Yes, I know everyone has birthdays....they're not that exciting, and they get even less and less so as we get older.  But this was kind of a fun birthday for me (even if it wasn't mine).  Thanks to our very recent familial structure change (I'm virtually a stay at home mom who works a little on the side) I actually had the time to plan something special for him AND involve the boys.  Seriously in the past it's been, "Oh, crap! G's birthday is tomorrow...ummmm...should we go out to dinner?"  Yup.  Pretty typical.

So this year the boys and I decided to surprise daddy at work with his own personal birthday party.  Woo hoo!  And what's a party without presents?  This was the first year that I let the boys pick their own gifts for daddy.

"Will, what do you think we should get daddy for his birthday?"
"A candle."
"Hmm...really? What kind of a candle do you think daddy would like?"
"A cat candle."
A cat candle? We don't have cats, and NEVER will...sorry to all the cat lovers out there...it's just not us.
"Well, buddy. That sounds like a good idea.  Let's see what they have."

For the record, Target does not sell cat candles....at least not this time of year...not in our store.  So we settled on the next best thing.

The birdhouse candle.  Perfect for that man in your life that never seems to need anything...the birdhouse candle.  It goes with any decor...at home, the office, or even on top of the toolbox in the garage.  And throw in an Angry Birds beach towel for good measure ("Micah's" gift - also Will's idea).  Oh, geez...don't forget the card.  A monkey picking his nose with the message "We couldn't have picked a better dad than you" inside.  Perfect.  (That one led to uncontrollable giggles the whole way up to the check-out along with several looks from other patrons...some with nostalgic smiles...some with furrowed brows of concern.  We always seem to disturb somebody's shopping experience...oh, well.)

On to the next task...the cake...or cupcakes as it turned out to be.

"Will, what kind of cake should we make?"
"A cat cake."
What-the? Where is this coming from?  Whatever.  I humored him for a bit and we browsed Pinterest (don't get me started) for a while looking at cat cakes.  After 15 minutes of this (seriously)...
"How about a fishing cake?"
"SURE!!!" Phew...crisis averted.

So back to Pinterest and we came up with these.

Please keep in mind that I am definitely NOT a cupcake perfectionista and in NO way am I aspiring to be, so judge accordingly.  At least they didn't turn out so you had to hold your head at just the right angle and squint your eyes just so to realize what they were supposed to be...at least I don't think you have to...

And now for the big day and big surprise! We got our presents ready....

Again, please judge accordingly...that little one's shirt was clean at the beginning of the day (ie. 20 min before this pic was taken).  Honestly, for as much "teething" (aka. drooling) as this kid has done, he should have 454 teeth.  Y.U.C.K!!!  Anyway, presents ready....and we're off.

Arriving at daddy's office...he's none-the-wiser.  They were so excited and it was super cool to see it being over giving someone else a gift...huge accomplishment for a couple of self-centered (by nature) two- and five-year-olds.

So excited in fact that they had to open all his presents (including his card) themselves because they just couldn't stand it.  Super special moment for this momma and a good reminder that I'm not only at home for these boys, but also for my husband, my friend, my love.  So thankful....