How to celebrate three-year-old style

This is coming a little late, but we celebrated AJ turning three last week. Monday was his actual birthday, but we kept that day more low key.

He got DinoOatmeal, his current favorite, for breakfast and we went to a McDonald's playland for lunch. However, we tried a new playland and found out that AJ was too small to climb up into it. So, instead of playing, we used some coupons for free cones and ate ice cream. We had enchiladas for dinner while he got to open his birthday cards, and he got to take cookies with him to Bible Study that night.

It was also his last night to use his paci.

Tuesday had it's ups and downs. It was up in that he had his actual birthday party. It was down because it was his first paci-free nap. Naptime did not go well. In fact, we finally gave up on the nap that day and at one point didn't think he was going to be in any shape for his party that evening.

But he pulled his little self together and come dinnertime, we had our family, the boys I watch and their mom, and the Sischo's over for homemade pizza, cake & gifts. (that was a busy day for me... watching 4 boys including 1 crabby paci-free boy, making 4 pizzas & a cake, and keeping the house in decent shape).
AJ received some cool gifts including a tackle box and a Lightning McQueen fishing pole from his father, of course. I mean, it's never too young to get 'em started, right?
As soon as gifts were opened we packed up quick and headed out to Chuck E Cheese for about an hour. We had lots of tokens that were gifted to us, so everyone was able to play for free. We didn't take into account that it would be spring break, so it was much more busy than we expected. But I think everyone had fun and Daddy earned the boys enough tickets with ski-ball so they each could pick out a junkie car to bring home. They were thrilled!

The night when better than naptime. He at least fell asleep pretty quickly (he should, he didn't nap and played hard all day.) He woke up several times, but it wasn't terrible or nearly as bad as it could have been.

Then this weekend, my parents were up for Easter and to celebrate his birthday. So, again, there were presents and cake. Enjoy this slideshow of my AJ thoroughly enjoying his cake.