And also in April was Birthday Child #3

Isaac turned 12 in April and, for whatever reason, I feel like turning 12 is a big deal.  It's just right there on the cusp of teenage-hood, teetering on the edge on childhood, like you're about to lose your balance and go flailing over the edge, arms circling like you're falling but trying to fly.  Maybe that's the wrong metaphor.  Maybe they should go soaring off the edge with wings.  I don't know.  But it feels big.  Significant.  But also small.  Not quite there.  Like I can still keep a piece for myself somewhat.  And I want that.  So anyway.  Part of it is that in our church, the 12 year olds move up from the Primary children's program into the Youth program.  And I want to make a big deal of this transition year.  The birthday before going off the middle school and all of that. Or whatever.  So I started some things with Abigail when she turned 12 that I'd like to continue as traditions (you can read about Abigail's 12th birthday if you click there).  I wanted it to be something fun and memorable, including this big 6-layer rainbow cake thing (that is a whole dang lot of work, but pretty impressive, I think).  Turns out she claims to not even remember getting a cake like that or anything.  So much for being memorable.  But anyway.  The nice thing about traditions, I've decided, is that it both makes sure no one gets left out (and avoids all the whining: but how come I never got a rainbow cake?! why don't I ever get a special cake? when are you going to make me one?) and also lets me off the hook (so if I asked a kid what kind of cake they wanted, they know asking for a rainbow cake every year isn't an option.  It's only for when you're 12. Sorry.) ;)  

Ok. Enough about that.  Here's the birthday goodies.

 Part One: Twelve Balloons

We hung 12 balloons from Isaac's door frame while he was sleeping with a little note attached to each one saying something that we love about him, so that when he woke up he had to walk through the curtain of balloons. 

By the afternoon they were tangled and he was pretty annoyed with them but I think he liked reading all the notes when he woke up.

(pic of him before school)

2. the rainbow cake of awesomeness 

then I got to work on the cake

 Here are lots of pics of the process and impressive result, because it is awesome and because I need photo proof of the rainbow cake in case Isaac, like Abigail, "forgets" that I ever went through all this effort to provide him with such an awesome cake.;)  (And blogger is being a big pain and I am having all sorts of trouble arranging photos so after hours of trying I give up and what you get is what you get. Blah.  I'm getting very frustrated with blogger and am about ready to try something different. hmph)

3. The Party

Well Isaac had only asked for one thing for his birthday.  But it was a big thing.  And he was going to have to use some of his own money to help pay for it if he got it.  And it was still a pretty big if.  So he was pretty unsure if we was going to get it. And he was pretty excited when he did (it was a used ipod touch - which also came with a lot of parental ground rules, #1 being that we can take it away at any time and for any reason.)  This was his only present, so I was very sad when I accidentally deleted these priceless pics off my camera and pretty much ecstatic when I was able to recover them.:)

4. The mom-dad-son date

another turning 12 tradition:)

Pretty much the most un-photogenic picture of the 3 of us ever seen.  And this was the best of the bunch. Ugh! hahaha.

We took him to The Macaroni Grill. 

He liked it.:)

Part 5.

We also got him a suit.

And, as is tradition in our church, he was ordained in the priesthood upon turning 12. 

And I couldn't resist making him go pose so I could take pictures of my handsome boy looking so grown up.  (My 2 handsome boys. Because the other would not let the opportunity go by, of course. Hard to believe they are only 3 years apart isn't it?) :)

And that was Isaac's 12th birthday! He is such a terrific kid.

One more Spring Birthday to go!