Ben's 5th Birthday

Ben's birthday was last week, as I have mentioned several times so here is the post in it's honor.   I have to start with the photo flashback. I love looking at the pictures from his early days.  I felt like I took way too many but now I feel like it wasn't enough.  Maybe that should be a hint that I should take more of Milo.  But anyway, here they are. That first one will always be my favorite.  I don't have it in a frame but I should.  I should have a lot of photos in frames but we just don't have many safe surfaces for such things these days. 

This one is on St. Patrick's Day, which I believe is tomorrow.  Hmmm...I hope today wasn't "wear green" day at school because Ben is not wearing green. 

And now those delirious baby days are long gone.  When we returned from Montana, this was in the mail.

It is the final installment in the Imagination Library children's literacy program, which ends when the children turn five.  I only signed up Ben because, although everyone insists the program is for everyone, I still feel guilty and like we're taking something we don't need.  Also, our program is struggling to get funding this year and they were asking anyone who could to pay some small amount like $20 which is a pittance considering the kids get like 50 books over the years.  Well, anyway, now our time with it has come to a close with a book about Kindergarten. 

Ben has been to a few friend parties with themes so he insisted on having a "Lego Police" themed birthday party even though it was family members only since we were in Montana.  Lego Police...hmmmm...Every cake idea on Pinterest involved tiers and fondant and that vivid primary colored food dye.  Where do you find that anyway? So I did what I could and put Lego candies from the bulk bin store in the mall on a store bought cake we purchased on the way to Montana and decorated it with Lego police items from home. 

I like it.  It can't compare to the orange "Allan" cake I made when he was one but it's still one of my better efforts. 

We also found some really cheap generic Lego decorations at Walmart so we brought that banner and some plates.  There you have it...a Lego Police party. 

He got some nice presents, including this sweet game called "Toilet Trouble" that he sees advertised on TV during the kid's programming.  Well, I mean...during those rare occasions where I allow TV...As someone who enjoys bathroom humor I couldn't pass this up.  Yes, it was my doing.  I bought this.  I purchased a game that is a toilet.

How it works: you fill the bowl with water and spin the roll  Then flush however many times it tells you.  At random intervals, water spritzes out of the toilet into your face.  Sounds lowbrow, stupid and non-educational, doesn't it?  Well, every kid just loved this game and asked to play it constantly and we even had a few rounds of adult play too.

Oh, there were some tense moments!

He got this Lego fire station which he couldn't restrain himself from starting even though it has a lot of pieces.  There was a little loft area with a desk so that was his headquarters.  He finished it in two days working on and off.  I wish Lego sets would regenerate themselves because they really give me some peace and quiet when he is busy with them.  They never take long enough. 

Now I can carry on and when people ask how old my kids are I can say 1,3, and 5 instead of 1, 3 and 4 and have everyone look at me like I'm crazy and tell me I have my hands full.  The weird thing is that these encounters always happen with older people who were raised when a family of three was considered small.  I don't get it.

OK, one last picture...I can't resist...Ben's first birthday cake.  Purrrrrrr.