Two birthdays!

So our two youngest have their birthdays right smack in the beginning of the year.  This year we had a bit of an issue going on around here.  I've made mention of it in the past post or two, and we thought we were over the issue, but such is not the case. I have a post coming all about it, but it has to do with the 'bugs' we have been dealing with.  Needless to say, that had put a damper on the festivities.  I was finally able to come to peace over the situation on Merida's birthday.  I determined that I would NOT let this situation steal my joy over celebrating my child's special day!

Aubrey wanted to have a strawberry cake, with orange and blue frosting!  And that is just what he got.  He also had the privilege of having a friend over to celebrate with.  It was a sweet evening of fun for him.  We got him a bunch of dinosaur things.  A mug, t-shirt and some books.  His friend got him some hot wheel cars.  A hit all around.

Merida's special day was spent readying the house to be 'bombed'  No small task for our size family.  We spent some time at the mall (we had to kill a total of 4 hours out of the house...on a Sunday).  So the mall it was.  I think we have been to the mall twice in 10 years, and that was just to run in and get a girl's ear pierced each time.  The escalator was a big hit with the boys :-)  We drove home to open the windows to the house.  Then we headed back out to get something to eat and run to the store.  After all of that is was 8 PM when we got home and had to give everyone baths and fresh bedding.  Needless to say we didn't celebrate her birthday until the following morning.  But when we did, she loved her cake and present (a ride/walking toy).

We remembered to play the 'fortune' game that we have done with all of our children on their 1st birthday.  We set out four items: a shot glass (we used a kids medicine cup), a piece of fruit, a coin and a cross necklace.  The idea is that the first item they pick up is what their future will be.  Please note this is all done in fun, and to carry on a tradition that my parents did with me and my siblings.  Merida chose the necklace.  The idea of the necklace would be that she would be going into the ministry :-)  The coin represents wealth, the shot glass...well I think you can figure that one out, and the fruit is for becoming a farmer.

Merida loved her cake.  I have a picture of her taking a bite out of the side of her cake.  So cute.  I only have pictures of the birthday kiddos with their birthday signs at the present moment.  The other birthday pictures are on the other computer.  I'll have to upload those later.  But for now these will do:

 Aubrey wouldn't keep his hands out of his face.  He kept posing in funny positions.  Ah.  The life of a four year old :-)

I love his look here.  Too cute.  He had a dinosaur theme for his sign, with some plants vs. zombies items thrown in, compliments of Jedidiah.  Both Jed and Jonah really wanted to help out with the birthday sign, and making the cake. I can say that proved to be a daunting task, trying to wrangle the fun of cake making from their sisters.

 Lots of kitty cats for Merida's sign.  One of her first words was 'kitty'.  This little miss took her first steps just a couple of days before her birthday.  Now she is a walking machine.  She still falls all the time, but she is starting to prefer walking over crawling.

Here she is with her new ride on toy.  We had one of these for Isabella, many moons ago. I think it bit the dust after Saoirse.  I don't remember having it around for Jed.  So a new one was in order.  She really loves it.  But....so do her brothers!!  They try to take over and ride on it.  Many a fight has been had over this toy in the past few days.  Ha! I think they have finally gotten it out of their system as there has been less fighting today about it.

Please pray for our family as we continue our battle to stay strong in the Lord.  Between the bugs, and all the work that is going into killing them, and upping our immune system, and the vacuuming and laundry to keep the bugs from multiplying has been a bit taxing.  And, not just two minutes ago Jonah came to me saying his head is hurting.  Not a good sign.  He's not a child to just have a headache.  Sigh.