It's Great to Turn Eight!

Big's birthday fell on Mother's Day this year. After a best-of-three thumb wrestling match, it was determined that Big would be allowed to have the day to celebrate. It seems only right-- I mean, I had a Faux Mother's Day, and Mother's Day comes every year, but turning 8 only happens once! I still can't believe that Big is eight!

Having Big's birthday on a weekend day caused us to change up our routine a bit. I still put up the banners and balloons (we made sure to put the animal print balloon right over his chair-- it's the little things)…

...and the cake was the same (for real the same kind that we had 10 days ago for Bud's birthday).

It was the order of things we decided to change. Usually, we eat the birthday dinner, then open gifts, followed by the cake and ice cream. When the kids are in school, the waiting the whole day thing isn't a big deal. Well, and for the other kids being home all day isn't usually a big deal, but Big was dying. He wasn't doing anything to act like he wasn't willing to wait, he just wasn't very good at waiting. :) He was driving all of us crazy with speculation about what he might be getting, he couldn't focus on anything he tried to do to help pass the time because it was his BIRTHDAY and his gifts were staring at him. 

Anyway, so after lunch we put the kid out of his misery and let him open his gifts. The card Edith made for Big was first-- she showed it to me after she made it and said to me earnestly, with her hand on my shoulder, "LOL means laugh out loud." So hilarious.

It was so cute when she "read" the card out loud to him. Her cards always say the best stuff. 

Then it was on to the other gifts. He got a bunch of cool stuff.

It probably won't come as a surprise to people who know Big, but he talks as he opens gifts. :)

Big was super excited to get this sketch pad. He has really been into drawing lately. 

The scooter has definitely been a huge hit. He has been heading out the door early every morning so he can ride his scooter a little bit before he rides it to school. It was especially important, of course, that he leave early the morning after his birthday so he could get used to the balance shift of riding with his backpack on. I love that it has solved the usual problem of end-of-the-school-year-feet-dragging. He's more excited to head out the door to school than he is at the beginning of the school year! It's awesome. 

Anyway, later that day we ate Big's requested dinner of bran muffins with sausage and cheesy scrambled eggs. Yes, the bran muffins really are that good. And then we moved on to the cake and ice cream. It's important to blow out the candles so it's all official, don't you know. 

We sang as Rophone carried the cake to the table, and when he set it down Big immediately closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and blew.

And completely missed. He opened his eyes back up and kind of laughed at himself. 

I told him it was good he missed because he's supposed to pose with the cake first. So, he did. 

Then he took another huge breath and blew, shaking his head vigorously side to side. A new, but surprisingly not completely unsuccessful technique. 

Only one straggler left to take care of after the head shake. Not too bad. 

It's official! Big is 8!! Happy Birthday, Big! We love you!