Adventures in Bennionland

(Original post date April 26th, 2010)

It’s official. Our five year-old is now six. Crazy how time is moving!

Will was in MAJOR countdown this year until his birthday. I think we’ve hit a new chapter in understanding what birthdays are about. He had a theme picked out, had defined party expectations, and for the first time had a birthday wish list! Wowza!

Fortunately all – or most – of his request were easy ones to grant.

We had the traditional birthday chocolate-chip pancakes for breakfast – his fave!

He got to open one present before going to school.

At school he got to wear the special birthday hat. Check out his face – this was a BIG deal. Mrs. M, his teacher, said that he wore the hat the entire class.

Plus he was *Star of the Week* so I got to bring in picture (boy was that a sob fest trying to pick ones out).

We had shooting star cupcakes (gluten-free of course!) with his class. Eric came over from work and so our whole family got to celebrate too. It was so cute to see him react to being the birthday star with his friends at school.

After school we had his – space themed – birthday party. He got to invite his closest friends over. We made planet pizzas, did astronaut training, opened presents, and had solar system cake (complete with six candlelit stars).

He was in his glory- and still is as he likes to remind everyone he is now SIX!

Six fun facts about Will:

* He is still fascinated by propellers. He can spot them anywhere.
* The kid is a dancing machine. Any music anywhere and he’s busting a groove. His style is a mix between the 80’s punk rock scene, break dancing and hip-hop. It’s hilarious to watch!
* When he is thinking about something he folds his hands into his lap or holds them close to his chest.
* He loves his veggies – especially edamame, green beans, broccoli, and artichokes. I’ll never forget the woman asking me if he was serious in the grocery store after he started spouting off all the veggies we had to buy because he “loves them so much!”.
* His current hobby is reading. He’s discovered how much he can find out from books and is so proud of himself for reading chapter books. Most nights he’s asleep with one on his face or chest.
* Will never shies away from some TLC. Each morning he finds one of us to pick him up and hug him. He’d stay like that for a hour if he could.

Happy birthday Will!

I have to be honest, I’m not a big fan of Mother’s Day. Nope.

This year I was looking forward to one thing – Walker’s preschool Mother’s Day Tea. I was worried because Walker had been sick and I was sick – but we managed to make it!

Walker was THRILLED to entertain. He presented the hat he’d made*.

They sang a song and read a story.

We had “dirt and mud from their garden” for a treat (aka Jell-o pudding with Oreo crumbles). Walks thought it was hilarious and kept reminding me that I was eating dirt. It was funny to see him in his element with his friends from preschool.

After all was done we got a gift – a hug poem that I must confess was darling with their hand prints at each end. It’s the sappy stuff* like that that makes Mother’s Day work out.

Truth is that I love being a mother, especially Walker’s. I’m glad he was so thrilled to treat me to a nice Mother’s Day Tea.

*I’m sorry. I’m trying to keep all of my glib comments about Mother’s Day out but…well I didn’t. And oh the hat. It was horrid. Made from a giant tea bag then tie-dyed. And we had to wear it the entire time!