Rawr!

Such an adorable invitation!

Can't believe Baby Sam Sam will be 3 tomorrow!  I know every parent says that time flies when your kids are little, and they sure weren't lying.  I loved every minute of the last 3 years, but I wouldn't go back.  Every new stage and age he hits is my favorite.  And every time I tell myself "Wow, this age is so fun.  It's definitely my favorite" he hits the next one and it becomes my favorite.  He is just an awesome little boy.  So kind, compassionate, funny, and smart.  This year Sam wanted either a dinosaur party or a super hero party.  In the end, dinosaur won out.  I bought some of the decorations when we were up in Anchorage, and Joe and I made the rest.  Joe spent days painting the T-Rex for the bean bag toss game, and my mom made t-bone steak shaped bean bags for the kids to toss.  I made the mini party hats for all of Sam's toy dinosaurs, the dinosaur feet for the kids to wear, and the triceratops for the mustache game. My mom made strap-on dinosaur tails which were a big hit (especially with Rosie). All of the food was appropriately named and included Megalosaurus Meatballs, Sticky Stegosaurus Buns, T-Rex Toenails (Bugels), Dinosaur Bones (white chocolate dipped pretzels with marshmallows on each end), Herbivore Cups (veggies and dip), Cretaceous Cupcakes, and Jurrasic Juice.  The Dinosaur Bones were definitely the hit amongst the kids.  A couple of Sam's friends couldn't make it, but we still ended up with 6 big kids and 3 babies which was plenty.  The kids played 3 games, "Feed the T-Rex," "Pin the Mustache on Triceratops," and "Dinosaur Egg Race." 

Happy Birthday to You!!!

For the Egg Race, the kids balanced a plastic egg on a spoon and ran across the room and dumped it into T-Rex's mouth.  Inside the plastic dinosaur eggs were little capsules that the kids put in cups of warm water and when the capsules dissolved a sponge shaped dinosaur grew.  It was pretty cute.  The kids were really excited about watching them.  The party concluded with the opening of the presents.  Everything he opened was his most favorite.  But once he opened his new Zoo Truck with new tinies, that was it.  He played with that the rest of the day.  All of his friends were gone by 1:00, and by 1:15 Joe, Sam, and Henry were all asleep. 

A big thank you from Sam to Nana and Pops, Grammy and P-pa, Uncle Dennis and Auntie Di, Uncle Jamie and Auntie Kate, Grandpa Ed and Grandma Trudie, Granny T, and The Lopshires for his gifts.  He definitely felt the love.  I hope you enjoy all the pictures!  I included just a few...

Part of the spread

My favorite part.

Clearly I was taking too long to bring him his food.

Food = happy boy.

This is how Joe had to watch the NFC championship game since I was sick.

Chubba-bubba baby

Standing up in his playhouse

And at the window...

Henry's first bath in the big bathtub.

Mischief...nothing but mischief.

Joe's contribution to the party.

Rosie especially loved the dino tails.

It became even more fun when Joe stuck his head through the mouth.

Big boy on his big boy bike!

The moment Joe wheeled his bike out.

3 years old!

Dinosaur egg race

Oops!

Waiting for their dinosaurs to hatch.

Rawr!

Everyone helped open presents.

The aftermath.

Post party nap.

Tuckered out and snoozing with his new Mickey quilt.

Turn 3, grow a mustache.

Sam wanted to sleep in his tail.

How cute is he?!!