A Big Dog Party

I haven’t updated the blog in ages although there’s been plenty going on during the last year but I’m not going to try and catch up in this post.

This little guy just turned 3 and since we’ve been reading a lot of books and watching a lot of shows about birthdays lately, Ford knew just what he wanted. On the top of the list were 1) a surprise 2) with decorations and 3) a blue cake. And since we’ve been reading a lot of Go Dog Go and Clifford’s Birthday we had a big dog party.

Here is the birthday boy and his dad just before we went to Antioch for the party.

When we got there I asked him what the sign said and he said “Happy Birthday Ford”. I’m not sure how he knew that but he was very excited about it. Dock just wanted a balloon. When we walked in the door everyone said SURPRISE! Party guest included Ford and Dock and their cousins Cash and Dodge and baby cousins Easton and Faith and all the grown up parents that came with them. Ford loved the surprise, but Dock was ready to turn around and go home.

Don’t even think about making me wear this hat mom.
Dock and his cousin Dodge happened to be wearing the same shirt, as if it isn’t already hard enough to call them the right name when there together. At one point Dock had gone missing for a while but I didn’t even notice because Dodge was there running around in a blur making me feel like Dock had never left. Dock was later found in the bathroom eating soap.
The birthday meal for the kids included the appetizers that you see here, cocoa puffs served in dog food bowls. Hotdogs and side salads came later. I wish I would have gotten more pictures of all the cute dog stuff. The whole place was decked out with dog balloons, stuffed animals, streamers, banners, and puppy paw prints. Number one and number two could definitely be checked off Ford’s list.
And here’s number three, the blue cake!
Everything was just perfect for Ford but it still got better. I don’t even think he knew about presents. He got toys, art supplies, and clothes. As soon as we got home we of course opened everything up and immediately played with it all.
And meet the hit of the Dog party, Chandler the dog. Our friend Robyn brought her very kid friendly dog and the kids loved him. She even brought a brush so they could pet him, brush him, hug him and generally bother him, but he was great and let them be all over him. Ford loved the dog! I feel like a bad mother for not getting him one and selfish for not even wanting to.
We didn’t do any structured games but the boys had a lot of fun when we pulled out the parachute. Each time the parachute when down and came back up it was like a battle had been fought underneath and all the casualties were lying down in different positions.

Ford loved all his presents, many of which came in handy at church today, but I was really excited to give him this lion costume. He’s been pretending to be a lion for weeks and makes me tie a blanket around his head as a pretend mane which usually gags him but he doesn’t care because he’s a lion.
Last night when he put this on we had a hard time getting him to take it off when it was finally time to go to bed. He just wanted to look at himself in the mirror. He said “I have a lion mane, and lion pants and a lion shirt, and a lion’s tail – stamp your self and go by mail” that last part is a funny little reference he remembered from his Dr. Seuss book Marvin K Mooney.
I just love this little guy and I’m so glad he had such a fun birthday. It really couldn’t have been better. Thank you Marmie for making it happen and all our cousins, and Aunt Peg, and Papa for coming and all the great gifts! And of course to Robyn for bringing Chandler, the best part of the dog party.