Garin Photos

We had an exciting time last weekend - Two of Garin's half-sisters came to visit for the weekend! Ellie and her moms drove down from Pennsylvania while Lara and one of her moms flew in from Minnesota. Our friend Caitlin from North Carolina also came to visit and see everyone. It was great, but exhausting for everyone (multiple three year olds running wild can take the energy out of everyone).
We went to the beach and then played cards with Ellie . . .












Hit the Farmer's Market . . .












(the bounce slide was a big hit) . . .
















Enjoyed the hotel pool . . .












Hung out at the house a couple times . . .












And went to the playground with Lara . . .

The kids are starting to be old enough to understand their family structure and their donor connection to each other. It's interesting to be part of redefining what family means. We just feel a little bad for Junior II since s/he won't have all the peer siblings that Garin has. Hopefully s/he will enjoy having a flock of older siblings instead.

We had a fabulous birthday party, including decorate-your-own cupcakes (which Garin helped bake in ice cream cones - a fun trick for toddlers). Plus individual candles because Mel worked too long in public health to feel okay about her kid spitting all over a cake and then sharing it with his friends.












decorating was fun for everyone . . . [in case anyone didn't know and is wondering about the photo below - yes, Mel is pregnant again, Junior II due in December]












and so were blue faces . . .












(p.s. hippo shirt was all for you Alex)

For the third year, Garin requested donations to take to the local animal shelter instead of presents; he had a lot of fun delivering them and visiting all the kitties.












All in all, a very successful birthday. He's already looking forward to the next one.

(well, technically birthday four, if you count the very first one, but you know what we mean)

It's been a day full of excitement.
On birthday eve we made blueberry muffins to take to school . . .

Beat the eggs . . . add the milk and mix them . . .













put muffin papers in the muffin pan . . . fill the muffin cups . . .















then add the blueberries (three each because "it's my three birthday!")











Then on birthday itself Garin got to have his school celebration (of which we don't have photos) and then, after getting home, got his present - a new big kid bike!















Which he took for a spin around the block (oh - and he insisted on that festive birthday shirt)















(he also got some money from various family members which he will be using to buy a membership to the Children's Museum)

Birthday party is on Saturday, hope for nice weather so we can have it at the beach!