eric [28 years]

 

Three weeks ago, we celebrated Eric's 28th birthday.  While the celebration wasn't quite the hoopla as last year's was, we had a great weekend with our little family and our close friends.  Eric's birthday fell on Sunday, October 6th, but we planned a trip up to Apple Hill on Saturday the 5th.  Our friends James and Athena with their daughter, Lillyan; Taylor and Stephanie with their children, Christian and Farrah; Jordon and Brianna with their dog, Minnie; Nick and his girlfriend, Lilia; and Justin all joined Eric, Simon, and me for a wonderful day of sunshine and sweet treats.  Apple Hill is an annual destination for us each Fall, but this was the first group trip we had done with all of our friends in 7 years.

 

with the birthday boy

 

the whole gang

Our group hit Eric's and my three favorite orchards, plus the always amazing Jack Russell Farm Brewery.  We gorged ourselves on all of Apple Hill's best staples: pie, cheesecake, beer, cyser, and the most delicious apple milkshake ever imagined.  To Eric's disappointment, Fudge Factory Farm was closed at High Hill Ranch, which means we will definitely have to make another trip back to pick up some delicious fudge.  We didn't leave empty-handed, though, as Eric purchased some fresh Fuji apples from Kids Inc.  Simon was awesome the whole day, aside from fighting his midday nap with strong determination.  We had so much fun sharing the day with our son and showing him the wonderful sights, smells, and sounds of Apple Hill in Autumn.

Daddy's birthday breakfast

We began Eric's birthday on Sunday morning with opening his present.  Eric had been wanting new non-stick pans for a while, and I found a 12-piece set for him that he was really excited about.  He also got birthday cards, one signed by me and one signed by Simon.  We then had breakfast and I made peanut butter morsel pancakes with chocolate milk for the birthday boy.  It was a beautiful morning, so we enjoyed our meal outside on the front porch with Simon in his high chair.  We spent the rest of the morning relaxing and unwinding from the previous busy day.

birthday dinner at Blue Nami

Lester and Benjamin stopped by for a short visit in the afternoon to give Eric his birthday cards and present: The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, the full chronology of The Legend of Zelda video games and stories.  Eric has barely put this book down since he got it, clearly making it an awesome gift from his dad and brother.  In the early evening, we went to dinner at Blue Nami in Orangevale, our first visit since this location was remodeled.  Simon was a champ in his high chair with his own meal brought from home, as Eric and I dined on our favorite sushi rolls.  At the end of our meal, I informed our server about Eric's birthday, and she brought him complimentary mochi with a birthday candle in the middle.  A few of the ladies sang "Happy Birthday" to him and we enjoyed our beautiful dessert.  Everything about Eric's first birthday as a father was happy and wonderful, and we were so thankful to have a fun-filled weekend as a family of three.