Justin and Julie; Jacob, Joel and Jeremy: Jacob's 4th birthday

I think I'm going to write a couple different posts about Jacob - one about his birthday and one about him (if that makes any sense).

Jacob's birthday was on a Friday this past year which means he went to school on his birthday. I wanted to do something for him at school, but our school district has very strict policies about that - you can't bring any food item at all to be given to other children other than your own and also they have a policy about foods with little or no nutritional value. So I wasn't really sure what I could do, if anything. So sad - one of my favorite memories from when I was a kid was that for my birthday my mom would make cupcakes for my class that I would get to take to school with me.

I sent an email to Jacob's teachers asking what, if anything, I could do. They reminded me that all the kids' parents in Jacob's program at school have signed a waiver regarding the district's food policies. That may sound weird, but most of the kids in these programs have issues with being very picky eaters and so they work on getting the kids to try different foods. As long as I sent something with Jacob on the bus and didn't bring it up to the school where it would have to go through the office I could send whatever.

I figured that the easiest thing to send with him would be chocolate chips cookies - plus Jacob is super picky but I know that chocolate chip cookies are about the only cookies that he'll eat.

They had a little party at school with him and sent me a picture.

I also attempted to take his picture with our blue elephant. Don't worry Jacob - we'll only do this until you are 18 or so.

Finally - success!

We didn't do anything else to celebrate his birthday that day, because Justin and I went to his company's holiday party instead. Grandma and Grandpa Mac came into town that evening though and we all celebrated the next day.

Jacob played in his basketball game and after that we spread out opening his presents. I imagine that lots of 4 year olds are pretty excited to open all their presents and see all the stuff that they get. Jacob is excited, but once he opens something, he doesn't really understand that he could get something else - he just wants to play with what he opened. So we give him time to play with something before we move on to anything else.

Wow - I think this is for me!

Wow - a Thomas set!

Gotta play with this before we can open anything else. And yes- we set up the train where the TV that Jacob broke used to sit.

Work bench/ tool set that Justin thought Jacob would love - Daddy was right!

The tools are used to put the bench together

Making a bat using his work bench

Some neat cars from Aunt Sherry and Uncle Rick

Opening present from Grandma and Grandpa Mac

An InnoTab2!!! By far Jacob's favorite present (this was also part of his Christmas present too)

I really went back and forth over what I should make him as far as a cake went. Sadly I didn't get any great pictures of the cupcakes. He was excited to see his Finding Nemo cupcakes, but didn't eat any until I got him a cupcake with no frosting (I'm not sure if my blood really flows through his veins since he won't eat frosting). And really was most excited to blow out candles again and again.