Ben's Half-Birthday

Because his birthday falls on Christmas Eve, I feel guilty that Ben doesn't really get as much attention as he deserves on his actual birthday.  Although we definitely celebrate it, it gets a little lost in all the Christmas hoopla and Ben doesn't really have a special day all to himself the way that Jack does.  So we're phasing in a half-birthday celebration for Ben.  This year, we just made a cake and sang him his birthday song and spent some special family time.  Next year, we're having a party.  We're going to phase out the Christmas Eve celebration, other than telling him happy birthday and having lunch as a family at Sweetie Pie a couple days before (which Brian and Jack and I did the day I went into labor with Ben and we did again this past year).  So now Ben will get to have a summer birthday, just like the rest of his family.

I've been wanting to try this cake since I saw
a friend of mine make it for her son's second
birthday.  Perfect for my tractor-loving boy.

Birthday treat: licking the frosting beaters.

So polite: no cake-smashing for Ben.

Make a wish!  (Brian is holding his hand to keep him from
grabbing the candle.)

One piece wasn't enough: Ben tried swiping frosting
from the sides of the cake.  Sneaky boy!