Eljah's 3rd Birthday!

Can you identify this picture? It is a cement mixer! The ones on the internet are amazing, but this is my attempt, using only one tip for the decorating and simple colors. Haha!! Elijah loved it and had fun helping me pick the design and lick the frosting, of course. Don't you love how I wrote the word "Birthday" on the side. Haha! I laugh.

The night before the long-anticipated 3rd birthday, Elijah and Malachi helped me pack and get ready for the beach. Shovels, rakes, balls, hats, swimming vests...Malachi kept saying "Pimming" (swimming)...as though we were going to leave right then.

AFter putting Elijah to bed, Malachi had fun helping me blow up balloons and tossing them off the bed, and back on. He kept singing "Bir-day, Jiah-Jah" (Happy birthday to Elijah).

Elijah was surprised the next morning to find all the balloons! He is excited! You're 3 years old, buddy! What a precoius age.

We went to one of Elijah's favorite places--the beach. It was great to have our special friends there. Whit looks cute in his hat and vest!

Sojo is a doll, buried in the sand!

Now it's Elijah's turn!

I post this one for my dad especially. I can imagine him doing this too--"This is the life!"

My boys are becoming best friends. I pray they will always be close and also become brothers in Christ.

Here's our special friends--thanks for coming to celebrate with us! They are like family to us--their kids the same age as ours, and Rachel also expecting her third in July!

Elijah and Sojo---I love this one. So cute!

Malachi is so joyful on the slides--and he's growing so fast into a little boy (no more baby--make way for #3!).

"At the same time---ready, set go!"

Malachi--what a handsome little man!

I put this one up for my mom--thanks for the shirts! Wow, they really look American there, but very fun to have new clothes for a birthday party!

The whole Becker family at play.

Little heads and bare feet looking at the deer. "Jesus loves the little children..."

My friend, Rachel, and I--prego sisters!

We celebrated with the cake out at the ocean, but the wind prevented candles from being lit. Still yummy!

Malachi is such a fun little guy--he loves to put sand in little cups or lots of buckets.

What a big day! Later in the evening we got a few more pictures (imagine that!) with the boys in their other new shirts from Grandma. This is one of the more successful pics of Mama trying to get two handsome boys to pose together on the couch for a few seconds and smile for the camera. If anyone has little kids you know this is a decent one!

A present from Grandma and Grandpa--long-awaited and now it is time! "A letter!" Elijah said.

A jumping dog, like Jonas has! Two boys at the same time--crazy times! Fun--thank you so much Gma and Gpa!

That night we lit the candles twice and sang twice, for fun. Malachi sings happy birthday to himself also--when will it be his birthday? Candles are so fun.

Thank you, Lord, for our precious son, Elijah Samuel! What a blessing! May he come to trust and follow You at an early age and follow you all his days! May He serve and love you, and may others come to know you through his life.