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Sven's 4th Birthday

Sven is four!  Here's what we did to celebrate:

1. He opened a present from Carl first thing in the morning: a new LEGO set.  Since Sven is four, he is now old enough to play with the real LEGOs in the basement (instead of just the duplos in the nursery).  He has been looking forward to this milestone for months and Carl wanted to help him greet the new age with an age-appropriate gift.  He helped Sven to put it together and then they went to the basement to clear out a bin that Sven could keep his creations in.

2. My mom came to visit--and she brought plenty of party with her.  When she arrived in the morning, we drove to Rockford where we spent the morning at the Children's museum.

3. Of course, we stopped at Taco Bell on the way home.  Whenever we go out for food, the kids want to go to Taco Bell and get quesadillas.  Sven and Leif likes theirs with the spicy jalepeno sauce.  They love spicy, just like their dad.  Since it was a special occasion, we got blue airhead freezes as well.

4. Back at home, Scott put together my mom's present for Sven: a powerwheels mini cooper.  When we got back from the children's museum (and after naptime), Sven got to take it for a spin.  It was probably designed with smaller kids in mind because it doesn't go very fast--but for our electronically-deprived children, it was thrilling enough.

5. I gave Sven a book: Dr. Seuss's ABCs.  Although I have fond memories of that book, I did not anticipate how much he would enjoy it.  He couldn't stop laughing.  Apparently, nothing is funnier than "Barber, baby, bubbles, and a bumble bee."  Go figure.

6. Sven requested macaroni and cheese with chocolate cake and sprinkles for dinner.  The Duedes and the Ahrens came to watch him blow out the candles--and he did a great job!  Maddy made him a birthday card and Nan gave him three new books.

7. Scott gifted Sven a LEGO airplane and while I took Soren and Carl to their den meetings, the two of them put it together.  When I got back, the airplane was nearly complete and Scott said that Sven did most of it himself.  I guess that with two LEGO-pros as elder brothers, Sven was already pretty used to interpreting LEGO instructions.  After the construction was completed, his older brothers admired it and then Sven put it in his bin, which I'm sure will soon contain many more saved creations.

Happy birthday to Sven, my cheerful and fearless middle child.  Many happy returns of the day!

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