And if 'this' doesn't put me into labor... I'm not sure what will!

You know it was my daughter's birthday, yesterday, right? So- why is there a picture below of my son and his buddies? Well, quite simply because my son's birthday is Monday... yes, 3 days after Grace's. This is a cute picture right? Alex and 5 of his buddies?



This is pretty cute, too- Grace and 8 of her girlfriends...




But how about if you put BOTH groups together?? Now it turns from "cute" to chaos!





Did you see all those kids in that picture? Actually, if I look carefully and count them all up, we are still missing a few of the kids in this picture- so visualize a few more thrown in there for the full effect.

I have to say, everyone ate nicely outside. At least, I think they did. I was sitting inside at the kitchen counter, enjoying my corn dog and pizza in quiet while my Auntie (who stayed for the party) actually supervised outside and took care of all the requests.

This was the "boys" table...




Here's my big (almost- on Monday) 5 year old opening some gifts.

And my sweetheart 7 year old about to blow off the candles from her Princess cake (which, by the way, an hour before the party was a plain white cake with balloons on it that said "Happy Birthday Grace"... seriously! how could they get that soooo wrong??... had to wait for them to make a new CORRECT one!)

And, no, I did not Photoshop and extra large belly on this picture of my myself. I don't often see myself from the side. And, believe me, I was just as shocked as the next guy when I took a look at this photo... now it's all making perfect sense why people are constantly staring and commenting at me in these final weeks. It is a bit startling. Not sure why I didn't take a load off and just throw the cake plate right on top of my shelf belly and waddle over there... maybe next time. Oh- did you think I was kidding? No... there will be a next time... tomorrow night- birthday celebration day #3 when the whole family comes over for the kids 'family party'.

Yesterday, for Grace's birthday, we took the kids to a big amusement park. It was 92 degrees. Pure sun. Not a cloud in the sky. I'd love to show you pictures, except I can't. My beloved Panasonic point and shoot -was stolen. Not joking. I'm always surprised at the depravity of man... (and actually, I should say 'woman' since it was stolen from the woman's bathroom).

I'm not sure which was worse- suffering through the heat or getting my camera stolen. Both were extremely unpleasant. But - the kids had fun and that's all that matters.

Next up, family party tomorrow and it ain't over yet, folks. More partying hearty for my son's birthday on Monday when we head to Chuck E. Cheese.

As for myself, as I started out saying...

If this doesn't put me into labor... I'm not sure what will!!