Today, S turned 25 years old.  I woke up this morning at 4am (of course, S slept through it… he can sleep through anything) and started my decorating.  Same drill as last year

The first thing that I did was finish the cake I started on Friday.  This year, I decided to make S an ice cream cake.  And I wanted to make one like the Dairy Queen cakes that I always loved as a kid, and like S got me for my birthday last year. 

More on the cake in a bit.  But I was pretty proud of the way it came out!  I did it all by myself, start to finish!

It’s 4:30am… do you know where your girlfriend is??

I may or may not have watched a season 1 episode of the Jersey Shore in the middle of the night after I finished my decorating.  I was too excited to just go back to sleep!

I eventually did go back to sleep, and we woke up together around 10:30am.  I love seeing S come down the stairs and see the presents and the decorations, even though it’s not really a surprise anymore.

There was present opening…

I got him some good gifts, including USB-rechargeable batteries, some stainless steel drinking straws, an automatic soap dispenser, a reading pillow for reading/working in bed, and a really nice, soft new robe.

S opens presents more carefully than anyone I have ever seen in my life.  He takes a pair of scissors and cuts them open perfectly along the tape lines…  like he is trying to save the wrapping paper.  Even though he knows it will be thrown away anyways.  He just likes to open them that way!  I don’t mind, although it takes him a half hour to open every single present!

Look at that concentration… Even Mendy is watching. 

We went out for a little while to a number of places, including Trader Joes and Whole Foods.  S requested that for his birthday dinner, rather than going out to a nice restaurant, that I cook him something special.  And that I choose what it is! 

When we got home, we had a slice of the ice cream cake.

The birthday boy!

Don’t even think about it, Mendy.

Yeah… pretend like this picture doesn’t show our cat up on the kitchen table.

Cutting my masterpiece proved to be quite difficult.

I thought putting the plastic wrap in first would make it easy to get it out.  But no.

Eventually, the first piece was out.  And from then on out, it was smooth sailing!

Does it look like the Dairy Queen cakes?  I made it with S’s favorite ice cream flavors.  The bottom is dark chocolate ice cream and the top is cherry ice cream….

And the middle is a fudge cookie layer!  That was the best part. 

On top?  Cool whip frosting with some decorations.  And gummy bears (S’s favorite!)

Not too shabby, eh??

Dinner was amazing, too.  On the menu?  Filet Mignon!

I put mine on top of a huge salad, with fresh mozzarella and edamame. 

S had his with potatoes, bread, and tomato and mozzarella salad.  The filet was pure perfection.

It literally melted in our mouths!

Now we’re off to watch a movie and eat some more ice cream cake before bed.

Happy Birthday, baby.  I love you!