Happy 11th Birthday, Lars-of-Ours!

Lars-of-Ours, Lord of the Legos, Birthday #11

'Twas the night after Christmas 2000, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring because we were at the hospital -- impatiently awaiting Lars's Grand Entrance to the World!  Happy Birthday, Lars!  Lars is spending his 11th birthday putting together the Lego sets he got for Christmas.  He'll open birthday gifts later this afternoon, when Grammy and Grampa come over.  The birthday boy has requested pizza for dinner, and I haven't even thought about the cake yet (not feeling enthusiastic about baking one, either, after last year's fiasco with Lars's birthday cake!).  I may resort to cupcakes to play it safe...

Lars at 9 months old

How time flies!  It doesn't seem like all that long ago that Lars was content to bounce up and down in this doorway contraption, sucking on a frozen baby washcloth. 

Lars's First Birthday Party, 2001

Here he is at his first birthday in 2001, eating a chocolate peppermint cake that I made (successfully, this time!) from a Bon Appetit recipe.  He has since decided that he does not like chocolate, but he wasn't such a fussy eater back when he was small, bald, and pudgy. 

Happy Birthday, Little One Lars!  We love you!