Happy 7th Birthday! (and Monday Funday Week 3)

Our M turned 7 on August 8th.  He was anticipating his Birthday for quite some time.  He was up early and eager to open presents.  He was also excited that his Birthday landed on a Monday, Daddy's day off!  For a long time he had been talking about going to an amusement park for his Birthday, but we talked him into holding off on that because we had just been to the fair and we thought it would be a downer to go to a park so quickly after such a great fair experience.

For a while he talked about having Birthday party.  We were open to this idea, but in the end we decided to celebrate his Birthday a few days early at summer playgroup and at Playground Rec.  It was fun for him to bring Apple Crisp to playgroup and Freeze Pops to Playground Rec.

The day started bright and early with presents! I was so excited to find this water squirter.  I was lamenting to a friend about squirt guns looking so gun like and how we point them at people.  I told her it would be cool if we could find an animal that shoots water from its mouth.  I was excited to see that something like this exists!

M: I have been wanting one of these for years!

M: Can I try it right now? 

M: I guess if I have to get new PJ's these are pretty cool. 

M: After I opened this Big Cat book I needed to take a break to read it! (Much joy to my heart seeing this!)

T: I got a 1/2 Birthday present.  I can't wait to hang up my jewelry!

M: I love my new bike helmet.  My head was a little big for it so we exchanged it for something else stay tuned!

M: I couldn't believe they actually bought it for me!

M: My very own handcuffs!

You might think we are crazy, but it was the ONLY thing he asked for so we got them and they live on top of our fridge!

M: I made my first arrest!

M: I got a kickstand and Daddy and I put it on right away!

M: Now my bike doesn't fall over! 

We have wonderful friends who own a lake house (see previous lake house post).  The offered to let us use it for the day.  What a blessing. Once the presents were opened we headed to the lake house.  After we got things unpacked there, we decided to check out a new park.  T was eager to play, but M was not super thrilled so we didn't stay long.

M: I am way taller than you Dad.

T: Let's spin.  M: No, T.  I want to get off.

T: Look, I can do it one handed.

After a short time at the park we went back to the lake.  Charissa and her kids arrived about the same time.  They gave M balloons and silly string!  Both were a hit.  The bigs played with the string and the littles watched me frost the cake.  The request was green on the inside and blue outside.  I didn't allow for enough frosting for the outside, so it was a bit sparse, but plenty of green inside!

T: Can we lick the knife? 

M: Watch out, here comes the string.

M: Even with all the balloons, I didn't float away!

After playing it was time for lunch.  We had chili which is M's favorite.  Then it was time for cake!

M: 7 is pretty old!

M: I have a powerful blow!

M: I asked for a huge slice and Mommy agreed.  It took me three dessert times to finish, but the next day, I did!

Cake was a hit all around!

Shortly after lunch our good friends Curt and Deb came to celebrate.  They brought more balloons and some awesome police gear.  M now owns a real police hat and two real whistles!  How special!

M: Now I really look like a police officer!

Finally it was time for water fun!  The kids enjoyed hours of splashing and playing.

Daddy was the entertainer again! 

We ended our time together with another pontoon ride.  Charissa and I held on to the littles and Brandon took turns driving with the big three.  What fun memories.

We made sure there were no children overboard!

After we left the lake we had a pretty quiet journey to dinner at Chick -Fil-A.  Our dinner was not as quiet as the journey.  T really wanted to eat with her princess balloon.  She was screaming at the top of her lungs in a packed restaurant.  We decided to eat outside and she calmed down.  We got her the balloon and she was happy.  Then the wind came and blew the balloon away.  Another family noticed that it didn't blow to far away and Brandon was able to run to rescue it.  It was quite an ordeal!  T was calling Brandon a hero.  She was so proud.

Once getting home we were able to check out T's special gift.  I feel like it was a gift for me too as now her necklaces are mostly in one place.  They still seem to float around the house quite a bit, but this is much more manageable.

T: Now I am all organized!

M, you are so very special to us.  We pray that this year will be one filled with growth and healing in every way.  We are blessed to be on your team as we fight the trauma and look toward healing.  We have seen so many answered prayers in your life and we know that God is at work in powerful ways!  We love you!