a whole hand old

Joey turned five-years-old on Saturday. We celebrated as a family together on Thursday since that was Adam's day off. Well actually, I should say Adam celebrated with Joey on Thursday, because all I did all day Thursday was lie in bed and be sick. Adam treated Joey to donut holes for breakfast and then they got a new fish, Gill, to replace Joey's old goldfish that died. In the afternoon, a longtime friend came over with her children for a scheduled play date even though she knew I was sick and couldn't be any company. Joey's heart would have been broken if he didn't get to play with some of his favorite friends, and it really made his day to run around like a crazy person for a couple hours with them. After our guests left and Adam put Katie down for a nap, he and Joey went bowling. We have gone bowling only once before and Joey loved it, and has asked to do it again numerous times. He was thrilled to go. Adam said he kept trying different bowling balls, so that by the end of their two games, the bowling ball return (does that have a name?) was completely filled. Joey told me he won both games, but I never did verify that information with Adam.

When given the choice for that night's dinner and activities, Joey picked pizza for dinner, eaten in the living room, while watching one of his favorite movies with daddy. We then sang and had cake. Joey had asked for a cake with a chocolate sprinkles racetrack (just like I made for him last year) but instead Adam bought a cake from the grocery store since I couldn't bake that day. Joey didn't seem to mind at all.

We gave him one of his birthday gifts, a little Playmobil pirate dinghy. Joey already has a pirate ship he often plays with, and now he has two ships to battle it out on the high seas. I was happy that even though I was in bed most of the day, Joey had a great day with his Dad and friends.

On Saturday, the real birthday day, we got to celebrate all over again. In the morning my mom came over with the traditional birthday donut and gifts. One of her gifts was a large dinosaur floor puzzle that she worked on with Joey while she stayed with the kids for a bit, so I could run to Lowe's and get some soil and mulch and plants, which is much easier to do without the children. Joey enjoyed helping me with some of the planting I did after I put Katie down for a nap. Then Grandpop stopped by to see the birthday boy and to bring some ice cream treats. By now, I was getting pretty tired from all the yard work and mowing, so I indulged in a mid-afternoon treat myself.

I then realized that Joey's cousins would be over soon and I hadn't even started anything for dinner, so I put together an easy homemade mac 'n cheese, and got a package of hot dogs out of the freezer. Yes, I went all out for this birthday dinner. And then I realized that I was not going to have time to make cupcakes, but never fear, I could just use the two packs of Klondike bars Grandpop brought as the birthday "cake". If only I had a picture of the pyramid of the foil wrapped frozen treats with candles stuck in the cracks. That is semi-homemade taken to a whole new level. Really special.

Two cousins, Austin and Grayson arrived first, and then Adam brought cousin Brooke when he came home from work. They all played so well together, even when Adam and I had to work on getting the tree that my in-laws gave us that morning planted and filled in with soil. Later on in the evening, Adam shot off some bottle rockets for the kids which only fueled the intensity of the spaz level. Joey and Katie were completely worn out by the time everyone went home.

I could say Joey had a perfect day, but I do believe the shirt he was wearing that day says it better. A boy cannot have a day that turns a bright white shirt into this-

-without it being a really great day.

(No, Joey doesn't go to the Goddard school, it was a hand-me-down)

Joey is a gift from God that I have been blessed to enjoy these five years. I am so thankful he is a part of our family. His tender heart, easy smile, and enthusiastic love warm my heart every day. I love him, and the great thing is, I like him too. He is one cool kid.