Fab Four

This week, Ethan turned 4. My brain still rattles around in my head a little bit when I say that out loud or see it written down. Four. Years. How is that possible? Seriously, he was like this yesterday:

oh my head, look at that face. Could you chew on those cheeks all day long?!

And now he's like this:

the coolest, happiest, most fun little man ever. I cannot believe how lucky I am that this is my kid. I hit the freaking jackpot, people.

His party was scheduled for Saturday, so on his actual birthday, we were low-key. We simply filled him full of store-bought, over-iced cupcakes, like this one:





They made him happy. And someday I really will get a picture taken inside my house where the background isn't a complete disaster.

On Friday, Ethan was the Shabbat kid at school; every Friday they celebrate the sabbath with a mini version of the Shabbat service and the week of your birthday, you get to carry the Torah (the mini Torah, mind you) and lead the blessings over the candles, Challah and wine (and by "wine" I mean the empty wine goblet that the Shabbat kid pretends to drink out of). My parents and uncle joined me in kvelling in the back row of the small sanctuary while Ethan sang prayers and carted around the little Torah:

waiting to be called up to the bimah

I can almost see that little baby from the first picture in his face here.

My camera is all kinds of wonky at exactly the moments I need it to work (clearly not user error). But I had to include this picture because look at how happy! Someone loves to be the center of attention.

I don't know what's cuter--him, or the Torah.

On Saturday morning, Ethan had his first soccer game. It made me twitchy to miss it, but his party was scheduled to start one hour after the game, and I was busy with this foolishness:

What? That's totally what guitar strings look like.

But thankfully Husband took these pictures of Ethan, bending it like Beckham.

When he returned home, the triumphant little soccer star, he changed into his favorite Beatles shirt, we cranked up the Beatles music, set out the food and waited for the friends to arrive.

The "Love Me (Honey) Dew" fruit salad and the "Strawberry Fields Forever" spinach salad.

The "Hey, Juice"

These were supposed to be an octopus craft, but the preschoolers and their imaginations got a hold of the googley-eyed styrofoam and pipe cleaners and the sky was the limit. Also? Very few of them have ever heard "Octopus' Garden"

My favorite grown-up treat--the Eleanor Fig-brie cheese platter

There was also a "make your own rock star frame" craft. Ethan took it very literally.

bubbles

blowing out the guitar...

mmm, that's good drum

After all the friends left, we opened presents. Ethan's friends went all out with the Beatles theme: there were Beatles CDs, yellow submarine bath toys, a yellow submarine pillow (made by my awesome crafty friend), a picture book of the Yellow Submarine movie, Beatles shirts, handmade Beatles cards and Beatles lunchboxes, as well as a host of other kick-ass loot that he hasn't stopped playing with or talking about since ripping them from their wrapping. This one was an especially big hit:

See ya!

Happy 4th birthday, little man.