Austin's 3rd Birthday Party...

Austin finally got to have his 3rd Birthday Party! He has been asking for his party and for his birthday cake over and over all week! We had to wait for Brian to get back into town and for the team to have a day off, and what better day for that to happen, than Memorial Day! It couldn't have been more American...baseball, McDonald's, and a cake from Costco (you'd never know we were in Japan, but it was nice to have a few reminders of home!) The weather was gorgeous, so we celebrated at the park with an outdoor picnic with our friends from the team and lots and lots of water balloons, squirt guns, and baseball..it was such a great day!! Austin couldn't have been happier, we all had so much fun!

Austin loved the Happy Birthday song and blowing out the candles! He sings happy birthday to himself at least 5 times a day!

Gotta love Costco cakes!! Austin picked out the clown design...only because it had a balloon! (There wasn't much to choose from though, it was that or a caterpillar!)

Miguel showing Austin how to fill up a water balloon!

Water balloon time!

And of course some baseball!

Brooke kept stealing the bat...

Austin hanging out with Alex, Miguel, J.D. and Anniesa!

It's a hot one folks, who needs some sunscreen?!

Sunscreen, check...water balloon, check...red white and blue, check! We are all ready for Memorial Day!

Brooke and her girl friend Tessa admiring each other's outfits!

The "Gaijins"

Brian, DJ (with his adorable son Brady), and Jose

(That's what they call all the foreign guys on the team!)

The momma gaijins!

Katie, Annie & Me (with my toughie Brooke!)

The guys got spotted by a bunch of kids in the park and had some autographs to sign ;)

Austin loved opening his presents!! He got spoiled, thanks guys!

Giving Anniesa a big thank you hug!

Austin went crazy over his new golf club set!

Austin loves the Ortiz family :)

Happy Birthday Austin!

Happy Birthday To ME!!!

Brithday Presents!

Brian was on the road playing on the actual day of Austin's 3rd birthday, so we waited to give Austin his presents until Brian got home. Austin knew what he was getting, as he was with me when I bought it at Toys R Us, and had been asking me over and over if he could play with it since the day we got it. I had hid it from him as soon as we got home, but he knew we brought it home with us and so he searched and searched for it asking me for it!! This kid never gave up, so he was SO happy when Daddy finally got home and he got to open it!! Austin loves playing with cars, so the toy car garage was a huge hit!

Austin tearing open his present!

Getting some assistance from Dad...Austin was so excited, he couldn't get the present open himself!

Dad putting it together! Brooke kept eyeing it like she was going to steal it from Austin :)

One happy 3 year old!

Austin showing off his present from Grandma and Pop-Pop!

Somehow...Grandma and Pop-Pop found unreleased Chuggington trains and had them mailed to Austin :) He was so excited! You can't find these trains in the US or Japan! Thanks Grandma and Pop-Pop!!

On the day you turned 3...

In the blink of an eye, our little boy has turned 3. 3 years old today. I can't believe it. I don't know why, but I am actually tearing up writing this. Time just goes by so darn fast; it's days like today that remind you just HOW fast. I look at Austin and see such a grown boy, I mean, in the grand scheme of things, I know he is still so young, but really, he is REALLY growing up on me. I mean, the kid wants GEL in his hair when we go out now! When did that happen?!

I just love everything about him, everything that he is right now, it's such a fun time, he is at such a fun age. And he's 3. Holy Cow. My little boy is 3. I just love seeing who he becomes and who he is at every age, it is such a gift.

And here is what 3 looks like on you Austin...here's you on the day you turned 3...

*(remember we are in Japan, so we sort of celebrated it yesterday, so weird how that works...but Brian was on the road with the team in Tokyo, so we didn't do too much...we will be celebrating it more when he gets home, and of course we are going to celebrate again when we wake up and it's still the 25th in America...what a lucky boy, 3 chances to celebrate, you couldn't ask for a better birthday huh!)*

Our big 3 year old...with the new face he makes when he "poses" for pictures...sort of looks like we've been in Japan too long ;)

Brooke is very proud of her big brother, she can't believe he is 3 either!

Our 3 year old monster.

We spent the day doing what he loves...playing at the park, and lots of baseball...

This kid could play baseball all day long. He is sort of attached to his bat and ball, they go everywhere with us! I guess it is in his blood :)

He never misses an airplane in the sky!

Showing me the "turf burn" on his elbow from sliding...of course he was "safe!"

Admiring his homerun...

...rounding the "bases," he makes them up...a new base path everytime!

He loves pointing out the moon, airplanes, helicopters...anything up in the sky!

You are getting so grown up Austin!

HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY love bug,

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH and are SO PROUD OF YOU!

Love, Mom-Mom, Daddy, Brookie & "Woof-Woof" Hunter!