Mason's fourth birthday was July 30! We traveled to Kansas on his birthday and kicked off a weekend extravaganza to celebrate! Aunt Kelli and Klaus were there when we got there and it didn't take very long for the boys to talk Grandma and Pa in to the pool.
Klaus and Mason riding the boat
All that swimming wore the boys out! What sweet cousins!
Then it was on to a birthday dinner at Kyoto's on Friday night. One of Mason's favorite things is to go to a hibachi, eating with chopsticks, and watching the "cooker man" play with the food. How many four year olds pick the hibachi for their birthday dinner? Lucky for us, Mason did!
The soup was definitely a favorite...
but nothing was better than the birthday cheesecake!
After dinner on Friday night, Aunt Jamie, Uncle Bobby, Aunt Kelli, and Uncle Klaus (plus me and Jacob) went back to Grandma and Pa's to create the beach cake masterpiece! When we were planning Mason's birthday, he told me he wanted a pool party and the invitation had to have a shark, octopus, crab, and lobster in it. Easy enough, I thought, until he then went on to say it had to have geckos and a car! This is what I came up with for the invitation:
He loved it and then informed that the cake had to look just like it!
After pulling an all nighter and finally finished at 3:00 am (the night before the 9:30 am party, I might add!) this was the final product:
A few close ups of the creatures:
Aunt Jamie's octopus...
and seahorses...
and shark...
Uncle Bobby's lobster...
my crab...
and a close up of the car. The car was such a combined effort. This was the first time that any of us had really worked with fondant (which is what all the creatures and car are made out of) and it proved to have some challenges. Uncle Bobby, Uncle Klaus and Daddy worked on that car for hours, and then Aunt Jamie worked on it some more. It turned out great and Mason's response when he saw it, "Mom, that is a great beach cake!" The smile on his face made it all worth it.
Then it was on to the gifts. It was so incredibly hot on Saturday that many people opted to watch the gift opening from the pool.
Jayden Rae admiring the Hulk walkie talkies.
Mason decked out in tee ball gear!
Grandma and Klaus helping Mason 0pen his easel.
Blowing out the candles on the great beach cake! It was a strawberry cake, which was Mason's request.
Being silly with Uncle Bobby's hat. Mason really does have an inner cowboy!
Aunt Erika had one of the hit (no pun intended) gifts, the Hulk boxing gloves. They make noise as you punch and Mason had a ball taking out Daddy. Parameters had to be quickly set so Max wouldn't end up on the wrong side of the glove!
We ended the weekend with some night swimming on Saturday night. Kayden and Jayden had a great time playing with Uncle Jakie.
A fantastic time was had by all and we are so very blessed to have such a wonderful family. On our way back to Dallas, I asked Mason what his favorite part of the entire weekend was. His response? "Being with my family." Tell me that doesn't melt your heart. Mason is such a sweet and caring little boy who is an outstanding big brother and big cousin. Jacob and I couldn't have asked for a better son if we custom ordered one. We feel extremely lucky to be his parents!
We love you Mason!
and seahorses...
and shark...
Uncle Bobby's lobster...
Aunt Erika had one of the hit (no pun intended) gifts, the Hulk boxing gloves. They make noise as you punch and Mason had a ball taking out Daddy. Parameters had to be quickly set so Max wouldn't end up on the wrong side of the glove!
