The Boy is 4

Today is my little stud's birthday.  I've been meaning to do a Jude-post for a while because there is just SO MUCH to say.  If I had to sum up Jude in a few words they would be:  Ham (a broken toy hamster that is Jude's "best buddy." 99% of the words out of Jude's mouth are about Ham), paper, scissors, tape, crayons, and blocks.  I've never met ANYONE as creative as this kid.  If the boy is not making something, he has no idea what to do with himself.  I don't know that any level of story telling can explain what happens at this house on a daily basis...I think pictures are the only way to show the world what this kid is made of. 

 These are hanging on his door.  I'm not QUITE sure what they are.

 This is the entire cast of Toy Story made out of blocks.  On any other day, it is usually some sort of device for Ham.

 The boat that is hanging on his wall.  He has since added rocks. It's about two feet long.

 Ham's house.  (That's Ham on the bottom) The house is equipped with a television, a slide, a hammock, a bed (blanket included) a swimming pool, and a car.  Several times I've caught Jude laying on the floor in front of Ham's house laughing.  When I ask him what is so funny, he says, "Oh - I'm just watching Ham watch TV."

This morning he went to wake up Ham (as he does every morning) and I overheard this one-sided conversation.  "Ham!  Ham!  HAAAAAAAM?!  OH MY GOSH - ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  WHAT THE HECK, HAM?!  GEEZ!  DON'T YOU KNOW IT'S MY BIRTHDAY?  THEN GET OUT OF BED!"  He finally came out into the house empty handed and said, "I just can't get that guy to wake up."

Most people would see this painting and think that it's a normal paper-plate painting.  Nope.  This, my friends, is a Lightning McQueen hat.  He made it because the hat he has now is getting to small.  He then spent the day trying to wear it on his head.  Unsuccessfully.

This morning, Jude was able to open one present at breakfast.  He opened this:

The (what I thought was) entire cast of Toy Story.  Jude was thrilled...for about five minutes.  Within ten minutes he was asking for paper to make everyone else.  Apparently you CAN'T play Toy Story without Andy, Andy's mom, the Prospector, more than one alien, Lotso, and the Chicken Man.  When he picked out his toys for show and tell, he chose the Toy Story toys. Perfect.  Except that most of the "toys" he had picked were the ones he had made out of paper.  

(Prospector and Andy pictured here - the rest are at school)

When I asked him what trains he wanted on his cake he brought me these three:

Is it safe to have paper and candles on the same cake?  Guess we'll see!

His messes may drive me crazy at times, but the truth is that I am SO, SO, SO proud of this kid.  He is the most creative kid I have EVER seen. I mean, what other kid can be perfectly happy with a Thomas the Train made out of a Milk Duds box taped to a Dots candy box?!  He makes me laugh every single day, and is such a cute kid.  I love him more than I can ever express.  He is our one and only Jude-a-tude, and that's something that can't be duplicated.  

Happy Birthday, Handsome!