Birthday with my Boys!

January doesn't just bring me a new year, it brings me a new age.  I feel like this double whammy effect compounds my desire to contemplate the new year and the new chapter in my life.  Well, luckily for my sleep deprived self, this year seems like a no-brainer.  This chapter will be all about the boys...my boys.

When Jake was about a year old, I had a funny conversation with Erin, one of my best friends in the entire world.  Since I was having so much fun with Jake, I told her how much fun I thought it would be to have a family full of boys.  Her response was something like, "You would have all boys!  She continued with some sort of ridiculousness about how boys had been obsessed with m all of my life, so of course I would just continue that into my adult life by having my own to love and adore me.  While this is a complete exaggeration of my adolescent experience, if not a total delusion on her part, I couldn't help but think of her words when we found out that the baby I was positive was a girl, was another baby boy.

So fast forward to my 27th birthday (that's right the beginning of the end for my 20's) and here I am surrounded by my boys...my amazing husband and his little clones.  Erin was right about one thing, these guys do love and adore me and they did such a great job showing it on my special day.

James woke up just as I was getting Jake out of the bath and as luck would have it the sun was shining into my bedroom beautifully.  After days of clouds and rain, I now had the light I needed to attempt some brother pictures.  Now I just needed one more star to align, the most elusive star of them all, the cooperation of a two and half year old.  Luckily, this little boy has the aptitude for comprehension and insight beyond his years.  But could I cultivate this potential?  I had to try.  "Jake do you know the only thing Mommy wants for her birthday?" I asked sweetly, and before he had time to guess, I continued, "Pictures of you and James."  And that is all it took.  My little star aligned and gave me a gift I will cherish forever.

After being such a good sport, I let Jake pick the next activity.  When he decided on play doh, I couldn't have predicted what he had in store.  As we sat at his little table, he began rolling little pieces of yellow play doh into, what he informed me, were carrots.  Then he handed me a flat piece of play doh and told me it was the dip for the carrots.  He also gave me one of the empty play doh containers and told me it was my juice, but I was not allowed to drink it until he had given me careful instructions that I was to drink it slowly.  The cutest part was when he took a plastic knife and began cutting a hunk of red play doh into perfectly equal slices.

He then turned the slices ninety degrees, realigned, and sliced them again in the other direction.  After explaining that he was preparing my steak he told me that he was "cutting it just like you do, Mommy."  Even after all of this, I didn't get what going on until Jake stopped what he was doing and excitedly yelled, "The Poopas are here for the party!"  He jumped up and ran to the front door, opened it, and invited them in.  And with our imaginary guests seated, one by Jake and one by me, we had a party...my birthday party hosted by my sweetest Jacob.

Shorty after my "party," Jake dissappeared into his room for a few minutes.   I met him in the hall as he came out of his room looking close to tears.  "What's wrong, honey?" "I was trying to make a real birthday present, but I don't know how." "Who is it for?" "For you, Mommy!"  I quickly assured him that he had already given me my gift by taking pictures for me this morning.  But there is no way for me to explain that he and his little brother are the gifts.

Seconds later, my boyfriend/husband, came home from work with another one of my great loves...chocolate...chocolate cupcakes.  

And that is how I spent the rest of my day.  Holding my Baby James, playing with my Jacob Williamest Boy, spending time with my best friend, and eating chocolate.

PS I guess I am not the only amature photographer in the family.  Here are some photos that Jake took with our little snap and shoot after I took pictures of them.

I gave him no instruction on the use of this camera...