Can you believe it?  Yesterday, the boys turned 3 and what fun we had!

On Wednesday, Loren and Zaidee (Joel dad and step-mom) arrived in town.  Joel went with the boys down to the airport, and the boys helped collect the luggage.  Afterward they stopped at McDonald’s for lunch, where Nic earned some grandfatherly approval by dipping his nuggets, then his fries, and finally his apple slices into Grandpa’s ketchup.  Thursday morning began with Nicholas waking first and asking where his grandparents were.  He and I walked down the stairs and he immediately spotted his first birthday present – a yellow car.  He’d only been asking for one for the past 2 weeks so it was fitting that he get one.  Then he spotted Dexter’s present, a purple car, and begged to play with both.  Grandma Z got him to promise to give it to Dexter as soon as Dexter woke up.  We had to keep reminding Nicky of this fact every 5 to 10 minutes just to make sure he got the message.  An hour later, Dexter finally woke up.  I snuck to the Den to work virtual for an hour while the boys had a laugh fest with Loren before we headed off to our very last day of preschool.  Loren kept confirming the day’s schedule about 5 times that morning.  I thought nothing of it.  (he’s been confirming and re-confirming with me for the past month – I was beginning to think he had Alzheimer’s.  I’m still not convinced otherwise -joel)

As usual, we were running just a tad late.  I finally got the boys into the van and as we were rounding our cul-de-sac, a green minivan came to a screeching halt in front of us.  The doors pop open and out jumps MALIN!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I slam the van into park and just remember to put the parking break on before bolting from the door to bear hug Malin.  We were both screaming with excitement while the boys looked at us curiously.  Apparently, before Malin left us in January, she had already purchased a ticket to come back to surprise us for the boys’ birthday in May.  Loren and Zaidee were in on the event.  Joel and I didn’t have a clue.  Good job everyone on keeping that secret.  I was so surprised.  Malin jumps into the van and off we go to the park for the last day of preschool.

When we got there, I unloaded the bikes the boys had received for their birthday from Grandma Chris and Grandpa Don (THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!).  From the day we opened the bikes (1 week early), all the boys have wanted to do is go outside and ride.  These bikes are unique in that they are glider bikes – they have no pedals and thus, no training wheels.  They teach balance first.  The first day they were both pretty unsteady, and we practiced going straight on the sports court behind our house.  By the next day, Dex was managing to go straight just fine, and Nic was doing figure 8′s.  Already the boys are gliding and cruising.  Dexter loves to go fast which scares the crap out of me.  Anyway, the boys hop on their bikes, I carry the diaper bag and Malin gets brings the box that contains all the cupcakes and cookies.  Luckily, the sun popped out and we had great fun riding bikes, and playing with classmates before Nicky covered himself in frosting.  That boy can devour cupcakes in a blink of a eye.

We head home and Malin, Loren, and Zaidee watch the boys while I head into work.  Joel came back early to be surprise by Loren trying to drive Malin somewhere or other.  Malin saw Joel pulling up and ducked down in the van, trying to hide from sight.  It failed, so they looped through the cul de sac and came back home.  Joel would have figured it out on his own anyway when he found Malin’s camera on the counter, so maybe it’s better that he caught them in the act.  A little while later,  the 5 of them headed to Toys ‘R Us for so that the boys could get even more birthday presents.  We are all truly spoiled with how many people love these boys.

Anyway, when I got home, I found a familiar sight, Malin was changing diapers and Joel was researching cameras for Malin.  It felt like old times which was really nice.  Zaidee cooked a fantastic steak dinner.  Nicholas told Malin she talks too much.  Nicholas and Dexter got another cupcake and then insisted they eat mine too.  Somehow, Nicholas was once again covered in cupcake down to his bottom.  Then it was out to the living room to open presents.   They love to open presents now.  Oh, and when they got to the big MACK truck car carriers that Joel got them, everything else ceased to exist from then on.  They packed them full of cars and started roll playing.  The rest of us took tons of pictures and talked up a storm.  We saved the other presents for Saturday, when we’ll have a family birthday part with Katie’s family.

Loren was the first to throw in the towel and go to bed, followed by Zaidee.  We could tell the boys were still a bit wound up so we let them play past their normal bedtime.  They wanted to bring their MACK trucks to bed but Joel and I managed to keep them downstairs by promising not to touch them and to keep Grandpa from playing with them.  With the boys finally in bed by 9pm, Joel and I sat down to rest and reflect upon the day.  At 9:30pm Dexter started talking.  He was not tired.  We took turns talking to him and finally Joel rocked him.  Dexter, Joel and I called it a day at 10pm.

What a wonderful day.  Malin really surprised us and it feels great to have her back with us for a week.  Thank you Malin for making the day extra special!  Laura, we can’t wait to see you in December.  I am pretty sure, you too, will have your wow moments with the boys then.  In just the 5 months that Malin has been gone, the boys have gone from very basic sentences to conversations, and from asking “where’s Malin?” to saying “Malin talks too much.”  We’re so proud…

Here are some pictures and videos of our day.  Enjoy! (you have to click on the slideshow and go to Picasa to watch the video clips)

Our Third Birthday!

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