Forty

He did it!  Wes turned the big 4-0 and didn't spontaneously combust!  I don't know why he was so worried about this birthday.  It's not that different than 39 which is not really that different than 28, right?  His life is full, he will always be a big kid, and I love him to death.  To celebrate, I made him a birthday breakfast, complete with candle-in-grapefruit, he opened a couple of presents and a couple days later, I slaved over Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting (slaved, I tell you...blowtorch and all.)  We'll continue the festivities by eating said cupcakes and hiking with a few friends tomorrow...   

Liam did the birthday honors of presenting his dada with a very special gift.  This year, since Wes was NOT excited about this particular birthday, I wanted to do something really special for him that didn't involve surprise parties or a cake full of four dozen blazing candles.  So, I asked friends and family to send me comments that I would compile into a hardback book.  I was floored by the response.  People actually do really like him!  There is no way I can do the book justice now, so you'll just have to come and see it.  Wes was...prepare for cheese...moved, to say the least.  He told me it was the best present he had ever received. Mission accomplished!  Many thanks to all those who contributed.  

And I got him some Bulgari cologne so that he can smell nice on our dates ;-)

Behold, the mother of all cupcakes.  From bottom to top: a layer of graham cracker crust, layer of bittersweet chocolate, chocolate cake, another layer of chocolate and graham cracker, toasted Swiss meringue, weird candle.  Courtesy of Jennifer Shea, owner of Trophy Cupcakes.  

Happy birthday, sweatheart!  May you have many many many more happy years ahead!