Skip Turns Three in the Polaris

King of the Polaris (for the day at least)!

Sharing his birthday cake with his dear Uncle Hank.

Skip's birthday is July 3rd and his Uncle Hank's birthday is July 5th, so we now celebrate their birthdays together at our annual 4th of July trip to Tori's Dad's house in the Central Valley.  It's funny to think that three years ago, right after our big weekend of fun at his house, we came home and got the very exciting phone call to pick Skip up from the hospital.

This year, Skip said he wanted to have his birthday party in Grandpa Mike's Polaris (which he thinks is extremely cool), and so I took him away for a few minutes while Tori decorated it.  My parents gave him a great cowboy outfit (boots, hat, and Wranglers), Grandma Linda gave him a new scooter, and we gave him a boogie board and his first piggy bank so that he can start earning money for his chores like his big sister.  He also got some little motorcycles from Uncle Leo and Aunt Katie.  I think he was pretty happy with his presents, but much more focused on his cake, that's for sure.

Skip has definitely matured over the past year, mostly in terms of being a much kinder and gentler big brother to Charlie.  Although he still occasionally tortures him, he mostly is very protective of him and enjoys playing with both of his siblings.  People often say "Well, he's all boy, isn't he?"  I'm not big on cliches when it comes to parenting, but in this case it's pretty dead-on.  He has tons of energy and he loves to "run wide open and sideways," as my dad would say.  He's also exceptionally athletic and coordinated.  And he has beautifully sweet and loving eyes.

We love you, Skip!