A Very Happy Half Birthday

Ok, so I can guess what you're thinking:

Who celebrates half-birthdays? And why? Aren't regular birthdays enough?

Yes, they are. Unless your birthday happens to fall close to Christmas. Like Caleb's. Born on January 3rd, Caleb will forever compete with that other Major Gift-Giving Holiday when his real birthday comes around. We knew this when I got pregnant and discovered my due date was December 31st. We also knew we didn't want our child to feel like Christmas always trumped the day of his birth.

And no, this isn't just about presents. Planning birthday parties at the tail end of the busiest season of the year didn't sound like fun. People are away, visiting family. Christmas parties, New Year's parties, and other social obligations fill calendars, and who really has all their decorations down by January 3rd, to make way for Happy Birthday signs and streamers?

So with Caleb growing inside me, Jason and I divised a rather un-traditional idea: we would celebrate our child's half-birthday in the middle of summer. Away from major holidays and at the peak of a season where kids are out of school and the weather is warm.

And yesterday, we made Neuhauser history by celebrating Caleb's half-birthday for the first time. He is now officially 3 and a half. :) And the party? A total success!

Birthday hugs from Grandpa

Birthday bubbles on the tummy from Nana

Presents

The funky eagle hat

(there's a story behind this hat, but that'll have to wait for another post)

((this hat will play a crucial role in the party later on... stay tuned))

Our living room floor looked remarkably like Christmas morning, only without the wrapping paper. Grandpa and Nana went a little oveboard with the gifts and we could tell Caleb was getting slightly overwhelmed toward the end. We do, however, have an infusion of new toys to keep boredom at bay this summer. Mommy like.

Now for some silliness!

That eagle hat found many admirers last night. Everyone had to try it on.

Kim, my MIL, was the first.

Then John, my FIL . . .

. . . followed by G.G.

(Kim's mom and Caleb's great-grandma, whom he calls G.G. for short)

Heck, even Helen's boyfriend got in on the fun.

Maybe because he had a matching tatoo?

And then there's Michael, who of course wouldn't face the camera.

But he did wear the hat. :)

After that, it was time for cake.

(we'd had a "Caleb-what-are-you-doing-ARGGGHH!!-NO-SON-OH-MY-GOODNESS-DON'T-TOUCH moment with the cake earlier in the day... thankfully, the Mommy patched it up with frosting and no one was the wiser)

See? No holes or bite marks anywhere! ;)

The robot on the cake is the Iron Giant from the 1999 cartoon movie. This movie is one of Caleb's ABSOLUTE favorites. We have large portions of it memorized, and I knew for Caleb's half-birthday, I wanted the robot for the cake.

Thank you, Ebay!

Frosting Face, with his robot in hand at last. :)

The Iron Giant turned out to be the highlight of the evening. He rarely left Caleb's hands the rest of the night, and when I checked on Caleb before going to bed, he'd curled up on his bed with the robot lying right next to him.

Precious, I tell you.

A very happy half-birthday, little boy! We love you so much!