Today is brought to you by...

...the number 4! Today is Clayton's fourth birthday! Wow, they sure do grow up fast! Here is the happy birthday boy...

We had a fun celebration on Saturday with Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle Shannon (she is so cool that the kids call her 'uncle'), and our fabulous MT neighbors who came to visit us in Montalto. I had a request for a 'candy' cake...I did my best! I have yet to find a cake mix...at least that I recognize...I think they are out there, but they just don't look familar to me (the directions are also in italian...I didn't have time to translate!). So Uncle Shannon saved me by bringing a cake mix all the way from MT...thank goodness! Then there is the issue of the icing...does not exist here. So I find a recipe online and write it down (only problem: I only wrote down the ingredients and not HOW to make it). Remember the brownie incident...no mixer! I finally caved and bought a mixer (one of the best 12 euros I have spent!)...as it was it took me quite a while to mix it and have look like icing (everyone was very gracious to me, but I think I need to work on my icing making skills...as in they don't exist!). But at least it looked good and Clayton enjoyed his cake...

I found the great 'Buon Cumpleanno' sign at the store and just couldn't resist! Clayton also got some fun Cars plates and napkins...the kid could bearly contain himself! He is usually so low key, it was really fun to see him so excited about his birthday!

Let's have four amazing things about Clayton on his birthday...

One: Clayton is very into animals, bugs, reptiles, flowers, and vegetable plants...I like to think of him as my little biologist. He is always observant and loves to capture and look at every small creature he can find (even the really icky ones...that he always HAS to show me...right in my face!) Right now, buffalos and lizards/snakes are his very favorites.

Two: Clayton LOVES cars, trucks, planes, motorcycles, boats, and any and every piece of construction equipment he can find...if it has an engine he wants to watch, see how it works, and get one for himself (the miniture versions work...at least for now!) He especially loves the Disney Cars movie, Lightning McQueen, and Mater.

Three: Clayton loves to be with his Grandparents, especially his Grandpas! He just loves to hold their hands, sit on their laps, watch what they are doing, learn about what they like, or just be with them. His NJ Grandpa had him down in his fishing room and washing dishes, and his MT Grandpa got to spend a really special day with him at the World of Concrete in Las Vegas (which incidentally was where this whole crazy Italy thing came from).

Four: Clayton is our low key kid. He can play on his own, make up his own stories, sings his own songs. He is very independent and tends to go his own way...not in a bad way...he routes for his own sports teams (even if everyone else is routing furiously for the other side). He is very creative, loves to color, explore new things and experiments get him very excited.

Happy Birthday Clayton!