Letters from the Dotte: Long Overdue

Finally. I am posting a few pics from Joe's 3rd birthday party. Let the record show, I previously attempted this post, but was waaaaay overwhelmed with all of the pics. It was just too much. So here is a condensed version for all of you Campbell lovers out there (ok, really lame joke).

Here is Joe examining his birthday cake. I cannot explain to you how obsessed my Joseph is with cakes and cupcakes. For example, tonight we read the Cat in the Hat. For those of you not familiar with the story, the Cat stands on a ball while trying to balance various items on his hat, arms, and legs and trying to not drop them (that's not the whole story, just a little scene). One of these various items was a cake. In the midst of reading Joseph says, "his (meaning the boy in the story) mom will be upset about the cake." In which, I praised him for being so smart and intuituve. After the cat eventually falls off of the ball, all of the items come crashing down, Joseph then replies, "oh no, the cake." So several pages through the book, Joseph asks, "what happened to that cake?". I reply, "gee, I don't know buddy ....". Then again, several pages later, when we are reading about Thing One and Thing Two, Joseph asks, "where'd that cake go?". The boy is obsessed with cake. I guess it's genetic.
I stamped the image of the monkey and emailed it to my Aunt Sherri, who baked and decorated the cake to include the sock monkey image. Joe doesn't really care about sock monkeys, I just thought the image was really cute. It was kind of a selfish mom thing to do, but at this age he didn't know any different.

Here is one of my new favorite pictures. This is my foxy Mom holding Baby Mae, and my handsome and oh so witty Uncle Joe.

Opening presents. It doesn't get any better than Thomas the Train. Oh wait, maybe it can, a megaphone. Megaphone not pictured.

I totally helped Joe blow out the candles. His aim was a little off. Don't tell. Here I am wearing his Superman cape, beautifully made by Grandma Chris.

Here is my Grandma Vonnie. She is longingly gazing at the cake. She refuses to eat any in front of anyone because of her DI-A-BEE-TEES. But don't worry she always snags a bite, or two, or three, when no one's looking. Aren't we all going to have Type II Diabetes in our later years?

Mother and daughter cutting the cake, and dishing out the ice cream. I look so serious. I am such a neurotic nerd. I am so afraid of messing up the cake when I am cutting. Geesh Ryanne, just get over it already. See, even my Aunt Sherri is offering support (actually she is straightening my cape).