Hollywood Journey

Nolan's Three!

"Momma!! I 3!" Nolan runs into our bed, holding his tiny fingers up to show me "I'm big!"

"Come here, buddy, let me see." I pull him in closer, noticing that he definitely had all 5 fingers up even though he was very full of himself. I help him fix it before he goes to wake Brad "Scream in his ear, you can since it's your birthday."

"DADDY!" He hovers right over Brad's ear, startling Brad to the point of jumping up "I'M THREE!"

"Yeah, I know." He mumbles, holding his head as he glances over at us "You let him do that?"

"You slept through Zane waking up 4 different times."

We pull Nolan between us as he continues to talk about turning 3 today and what all that means for him.

"I don't think you should turn three. You're getting too big." I start tickling his belly, making him flop around like crazy as he laughs "I want you to stay little."

"Yeah I agree with mommy. You can't get any bigger than this."

Brad starts attacking him and they go into play fight mode while I watch everything escalate. Nolan screams like crazy from laughter and fun while Brad keeps attacking him.

"Okay well I think I'm going to make us breakfast. What does the birthday boy want?"

"Cupcakes!"

"You can't have cupcakes yet, silly. Those are for your party later."

Brad whispers something in his ear and then Nolan happily answers again.

"Pancakes!"

"Okay, just come down when you're ready."

I check on Zane to see that he is now sleeping very peacefully in his crib, and walk downstairs where it looks like a party store blew up. All kinds of Mickey decorations are thrown around waiting to be hung up.

"I started on the living room, I was going to wait for you but thought that way we could get some done without Nol's help." Willow surprises me as I thought she was still asleep "Did he wake you already?"

"Yep, came in screaming about it being his birthday as if I could possibly forget. I think he's more excited about turning 3 than he is about his party later."

"Well either way there's cake involved, so he has his priorities straight."

"This is true." I start on the pancakes as she runs around the living room hanging up banners and Mickey pictures "Hey do you know when your grandparents are getting here? Nolan drew all over the note I had with the times."

"They should have landed about 20 minutes ago, so I guess they'll be here soon."

I go back to breakfast as Brad walks downstairs with the boys. He hands me Zane to feed while he takes over the pancakes and Nolan 'helps' Willow with the decorating process.

"Do you think Mickey will have a problem finding his second home? It looks like we bought all of Disney."

"But your son is happy." I lean into Brad as we watch Nol run around with the decorations "And the store was going out of business, so by buying all of this I helped them not worry about it."

"You are so full of excuses it's ridiculous." He laughs, handing me my plate "Eat before he can see the food."

I sit down to eat just in time for Brad's parents to bust through the door with tons of gifts. They keep Nolan entertained while he opens them, explaining to all of us what they are since he's so excited.

He eventually sits to eat with the bribe of his toys while we finish all the decorating. Jane and I work outside while Brad and Bill promise us they're helping clean up inside even though er don't believe them at all.

"It's a good thing they're children because we definitely aren't experts."

"Yeah, and we can blame some of it on Nolan." I laugh as I watch Jane and Willow struggle with a sign "It looks like he hung half of them."

We gather all the food, putting it on the tables and let Nolan shove Mickey ears on our heads just in time for people to start showing up.

"You look adorable!" Sherry runs up towards me admiring the ears "I can't wait for Mickey to get here. That poor mouse is going to get attacked."

"Yeah, I feel bad for him. They went crazy at Disney and they weren't even hyped up on sugar yet."

Nolan's little friends all run in following him, jumping all over the toys we have set out for them to play with. They take turns playing a Mickey game with Brad and our dads while I stay with his mom and Sherryl and some of the parents trying to keep everything together until Mickey gets here.

"If Mickey is smart, he might see this mess and turn around. They're a mess." Brad walks over to me where he can get a better view of everything going on "I don't think any sane person would voluntarily show up to this mess."

"I think we paid him plenty to show up. Even though I wouldn't blame him either..." I lean into Brad as we watch everything, loving the sight of Nolan interacting with his friends "He's getting so big. I love it but I hate it at the same time. I miss my babies."

"We could always have another. Just keep replacing them as they grow up."

"I don't know, not right now at least. One baby is enough for me to deal with."

We continue watching all the fun until Mickey shows up and we have to protect him from getting mobbed by a bunch of toddlers hyped up on sugar.

"Mickey deserves a drink for dealing with all that," Court walks over to help me with keeping the kids in line "I forgot how crazy kids get over things like this. It's so cute though."

"If it wasn't for how cute they all are I wouldn't have agreed to all this. He's so excited though."

Nolan gets special ears from Mickey since it's his birthday and even gets to sit on his lap as we sing to him. His little face is so full of happiness and excitement that it melts our hearts watching him. He jumps around on Mickey's lap as we all sing to him proving to us how much he loves all the attention he's getting.

"I love you, Mickey!" He yells in Mickey's face as he turns for a giant hug "You my favort!"

"I love you too, Nolan!" Mickey surprises all of us as he pulls Nol in closer "Now, let's see what all of your friends were nice enough to bring you! I think there's going to be plenty of toys for all of us to share!"

Nolan doesn't budge from Mickey's lap, forcing us to hand him all his presents so he doesn't have to get up. His face lights up with each one as he sees what it is, thanking every one of his friends individually.

"So was this the best birthday party ever?" I ask as he finishes everything "Since Mickey's here?"

"Yeah!"