Kolbe Boy is THREE!!!

I'm only about two weeks late on getting this post up, but really, it's been on the to-do list and just hasn't managed to make it to top priority till now. Two weeks ago, on November 9th, we celebrated the day that our first little boy came in to the world. To think of how much has happened since that day! And even to look back to just a year ago and see how much he's changed from two to three. The biggest change being his massive language explosion. He went from saying only a few words at two to unlimited, endless (and I mean endless) chatting. He's still full of spunk, totally boy, and the best big brother that Rudy could ever ask for. The day he came into our lives is the day that Mark and I truly grew up. And we continue to grow and grow as we watch him do the same. Happy Birthday, Little Boy!

We decided to put an end to the big birthday party every year- for every kid- for every birthday and just had a little low key get together with immediate family. As expected, Kolbe loved it and was thrilled with all the excitement. We ate chili, enjoyed cake and ice cream, and got to open presents! Here are the pictures:

Kolbe and Rudy are in love with their baby cousins! Rudy is still learning what to do with babies but Kolbe is just fabulous! He's gentle, sweet, and knows just what to do when. Like I said...the best big brother ever.

Kolbe's only request for his party was a "blue birthday." I suppose he's heard other kids talk about the various themes of their parties and he just decided he wanted "blue." So we decorated his cake with blue M&Ms, had blue balloons, wore blue shirts, etc. He loved it.

Every good big brother should teach his little brother how to sneak a swipe of icing!

One of Kolbe's only gift requests this year was a "Fight Raiders Fight like Pinkies." My mom has had this little stuffed fella at her house for several years. It plays the Tech fight song and it's literally the first thing Kolbe looks for every time we go down there. She searched high and low (as did my brother Dave here in Lubbock) for one for Kolbe but couldn't find one. The company that made them went bankrupt! So Raider Red made the move from Pinkie's to Kolbe's and let's just say that he's been more than thrilled.

Adorable, right!?! Pa bought this awesome pilot jacket for Kolbe at a Nashville airport, of all places! Kolbe is so proud of it. And although the weather hasn't exactly been cold enough to wear it more than once or twice, I think a big cold front is just around the corner! We can't wait to pass it down to all the other Hefferly boys in the future so they can be just like Pa!

Pinkie also gifted Kolbe with a singing and dancing Frosty the Snowman, one of his other winter time obsessions. (Yes, Pinkie is attempting to drive me insane.) Here they are dueling together.

G-ma gave Kolbe a cool new scooter after seeing him thoroughly enjoy Cousin Adan's a few months back. And needless to say, Rudy was not very happy about not having one of his own. And Kolbe wasn't too happy about having to share! Luckily, after witnessing the squabble, G-ma snatched up another for Rudy at super sale.

We had Kolbe's party on the Sunday before his actual birthday. But on the actual day, Uncle Dave came over and ate dinner with us and brought Kolbe an awesome black forest mini-cake so he could blow out candles again! Happy Birthday, Kolb!