Happy Birthday Grant!

This past Tuesday our oldest son, Grant, turned six. We had a fun week of celebrating this big milestone. On the eve of his birthday, I explained to Grant that six years ago he was in my tummy. On the evening of January 12th I went into labor and daddy took me to the hospital where he was born shortly after midnight on January 13th. Somewhere in that conversation I must have said something about how much he has grown, because I later learned that he somehow got it in his head that at the instant he turned six he would have a tremendous growth spurt.

Later that night after the boys had been tucked in, Brian went to settle down Grant and Bryce (they share a room and the anticipation of the birthday was apparently causing a sleep delay). When Brian opened the door to their room Grant was laying on his bed, arms stretched up, and exclaimed excitedly, "Look, dad, my sleeves are already shorter!" As if his arms were literally stretching out as his birthday approached. The following day Grant explained to me that when he was five he was this tall, holding his and at eye level, and now that he was six he was this tall, hand at the top of his head. I didn't go on to explain exactly how "growing up" works, but we'll hope he figures it out eventually.

On the morning of his birthday I woke the boys with a special treat: birthday pancakes (pancakes with a candle for the birthday boy). This is a new tradition for us, but a fun way to start the special day. All the boys had fun singing "Happy Birthday" at 7 am and Grant was kind enough to allow Bryce and Carter a turn at having a candle in their pancakes as well. We brought in cupcakes for his class at school where Grant was crowned the birthday boy for the day.

The big event, however, was the Pirate Adventure birthday party on Saturday. We do "big" parties for the boys every other year, so this was the first party that Grant was truly able to anticipate. He was so excited to be having his friends come over to celebrate with him. I tried my hand at cake decorating and managed to pull off a pirate ship cake which actually turned out looking like a pirate ship (I figured it could be a wrecked pirate ship if it didn't turn out so well). We served a pirate lunch of peg-legs (corndogs), goldfish crackers, cannon balls (grapes) which the kids could eat with those little sword toothpicks, and cocktail shrimp for the pirate parents. The little buccaneers played "pin the X on the treasure map", colored a pirate, and went on an amazing treasure hunt, organized by Gramma, which ended in the uncovering of a real treasure chest with the loot of party favors for all the kids. Grant thoroughly enjoyed the day.

The pirate ship cake (with gummy sharks in the water--watch out!).

Grant blew out the "cannons."

All the little buccaneers.

Mommy and Daddy with the birthday boy.

Gramma leading the treasure hunt.

The treasure map, complete with the clues the kids found on their hunt.

Grant with his new Bible.

Grant and his friend Jacob (aka: Darth Vader and a Clone Trooper) sporting Grant's new costumes.