Yesterday was Yuki's 3rd birthday.  We didn't do much that was special (mostly because I was too busy with family responsibilities), but I did prepare a special birthday meal.  The meal changes from year to year.  The first year he had boiled hamburger and rice and he loved it.  Last year he had apple slices and cottage cheese and he gobbled it up like it was ambrosia.  This year, I decided that he deserved some red meat.  So I cooked up a beef roast (plain, so as not to upset his stomach with spices) and cut some thin strips.  And then, I added his favorite treat of all.

As you can see, his eyes got about as big around as this plate.  He was sending his "please please please please please!" signal as loud as he could.  But even though it was his birthday, I still had to make him work for this delicious feast.

Now he sends his pitiful stare into overdrive.  "Please, just let me have the tasty food!  I'm a good boy!"  He sat there, as still as a statue, for a full minute.  I switched my camera's mode over to "Sport" and prepared to take as many pictures as I could.

Out of 23 pictures, this is the only one that wasn't a total blur!  He gulped down the beef and beans within about 30 seconds!  He was so excited to have some people food that I think he didn't even breathe, he just devoured that food as though it might be taken away at any moment.

And this is what was left.  Just one little piece of bean (which was soon discovered and licked up.)  He later enjoyed some tummy rub time, lots of hugs and some play time with his little sister, Ellie.  Oh, and I finally got a picture of the two of them cuddling.  :)

Happy birthday, my Yuki-poopers!  You've given us 3 years of joy and you're a much-loved (and spoiled!) member of this family.