Cowabunga Party, Dude!

We LOVE birthday parties in this house.

This year was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle theme.  What could be better?

The decor:

A peek inside the "sewer line" hallway:

The cookie cakes (all four of them!):

The kids' cups:

  The downstairs was set up like a dojo:

 

The costumes to use downstairs.  Every child got a roasting pan "shell" (with duct tape straps) and arm & headband cloths:

TJ made all the balloons himself:

As well as the greeter pumpkin on the front step:

Party menu (you know this is my favorite part):

                                                
 

Add one happy birthday dude...

and presents, and the party is complete!

Topher, we have SO much fun throwing your parties every year.  We love you more than we should possibly be able to fit into five little years with you.

Happy birthday, turtle boy.

--KC

Four Forever

The day before Topher's fifth birthday, he began getting upset.

I don't want to turn five, mommy.

Scapel to the chest.

I want to stay four forever.

Slicing deep. 

 Ignore the pain and promise Topher that five is a wonderful age to be.  

There are so many fun things to look forward to in the coming year.

Wipe away his tears and try not to dissolve into his quivering chin.

Well, mommy, when we get back to Heaven can you tell Jesus that I want to be four again?

Extract heart.

Stomp on it.

Yes, Topher, I will tell Him.  I promise.

The next day, we were able to have a wonderful little family celebration.  We ate out at Hickory Park.  We gave him some presents.  He started understanding that five didn't feel much different than four.  Five had some advantages.  Five came with gifts.

But secretly, if I could have stopped time the night before, right at that cusp between four and five, I would have.  Of course I would.

What a beautiful boy we have.  What a blessing the past five years have been.  

Watching Topher use his birthday gifts to practice his ninja skills helps peel my heart off the floor and squish it back inside.

But I also know that each birthday is a little reminder of what you cannot have back.  

And I know that part of my soul will always stay with my forever-four baby.

Happy birthday to the little boy we couldn't possibly live without.

Love, 

mommy

Fieldt Trip 2013: Pumpkin Patch

Because this time the pictures say enough:

Running to the bus:

Riding the tractor train:

Running through the hay maze:

Meeting all the new arrivals:

Story time:

Corn kernels:

Measuring chart:

Because mommy can't pose and take pictures at the same time:

Bean bag toss:

Skeeball:

Hay Mountain:

 Lining up to go home:

Choosing a souvenir pumpkin:

It was a beautiful, windy day and two hours on the pumpkin farm was a perfect use for the weather.

Happy fall!

--KC