Happy Birthday Will!!

Will's birthday was last Thursday, November 11th. I can't believe that he turned 6 years old. My kids' birthdays are bittersweet for me. I don't like to think about them growing up so quickly. Six really sounds old to me and makes me feel old. His birth was a crazy, roller coaster ride of a day, but that is another story for another day. I'm glad that this Thursday (he was born on a Thursday) was easy and fun. It started with us discovering that his name was in the paper under the "Have a Happy Birthday" section - Mitch's secretary Faye had put in there. He thought that was cool.

His class watched the Veteran's Day parade in town and I took cupcakes to his class for snack time. They had footballs on top to go along with his sports themed birthday party. The kids sang "Happy Birthday" to him and made Mrs. Lindsey give him a birthday "spanking". He took a bow after they sang to him! He even licked some of the icing off the cupcake.






He went to therapy at ECCEL that afternoon, and even though he only had a so-so day, his therapists love him. They all sang "Happy Birthday" to him and gave him a toy truck.

That night we had a family celebration at home. Grammy made a lemon cake and G.G. brought some delicious gormet cupcakes, so we had a little of both! He opened presents after we ate. He got a new electric toothbrush (Ainsley got one too; they both really like to use them - who would've figured that Will would?!), a learning toy for letters and writing, a new baseball tee and bat, and a Razorback jersey, pants and helmet. They were all a hit!






We had his party on Saturday. He planned to have it in a big field beside our church, but it rained so he had it in the gym instead. It was a little cold and windy to be outside anyway. Here was the invitation:


In keeping with Will's love of sports, we let them play different sports - baseball, soccer, basketball, football. It was an easy party to throw! They all played hard and seemed to have a good time.











We had Bobbie McDaniel make his cake again this year. We let him look at baseball themed cakes online and he kept picking out cakes that look like baseball fields, so that's what we went with. It was really cute, and yummy too! Even after all the other kids had finished and gotten up to play again, Ainsley sat alone (but she didn't care) - finishing her ice cream!






Will opened his presents while all the kids crowded around to watch. He got some cool toys!



We tried getting a picture of all the kids - everyone was in this picture except for Jordan, who had disappeared at the time.



It was a great party and Will is blessed by many people who care about him. We missed Guy, Julie and Shepherd (who was sick and had been in the hospital) but we're glad Shepherd is better!

Happy Halloween

Our Halloween weekend started with Will's fall party at school. I helped with the party while Ainsley went to work with Mitch for a few hours. They visited his co-workers and Ainsley walked around with "Ms. Faye", their secretary, looking for doughnuts. It was cool that morning but Will's class went outside for their party. Several other moms and grandmothers were there; we passed out plates and food and tried to keep the kids in line. Mrs. Lindsey had them play lots of games before they ate; afterwards they sang their Halloween/fall songs and read a Halloween story. Their songs included "Brown Squirrel", "Five Little Pumpkins", and "I'm a Little Scarecrow". Will likes to "shake his bushy tail" in the "Brown Squirrel" song.



Will and friends singing the last line of "I'm a Little Scarecrow" - - "hey, you crows, you better get OUT!"


Will and friends "shaking their bushy tails"

After school was over I took both kids to get flu shots at the drive-thru clinic at the county fairgrounds. I didn't know what to expect, but they both did well. Will had a follow up doctor's appointment that afternoon. That night we went to the Wildcat game and then Will spent the night with Mitch's parents.

On Saturday I went to a baby shower for a co-worker before meeting Mitch and the kids downtown for the annual Mutt Strut, a pet costume contest and parade. Katie and Gray joined us. There were some really cute costumes! There were prizes for best costume, dog/owner look alike, and "pinkest" (in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month). Here are some of our favorites. The Little Red Riding Hood theme was our most favorite! The dog even kept glasses on the entire time.






Saturday afternoon we carved our big pumpkin. The kids helped dig out the seeds and Mitch carved a jack-o-lantern. We put a candle in it that night and it looked really cool from the street.






Out town does their trick-or-treating on Saturday night whenever Halloween falls on Sunday. That was fine with me because our church did their Harvest Fest on Sunday and it's just too much to do both on the same night. Will dressed up as Josh Hamilton, his favorite Texas Rangers baseball player. We had been planning his costume since the guys went to a Rangers ballgame this summer and he got a Hamilton shirt and hat. We didn't know the Rangers would be in the World Series during Halloween! We found baseball pants and socks and even some eye black to put on his cheeks. It turned out really cute and he was the only baseball player we saw either night. Ainsley was a black cat. We found a leotard and ears and a tail. I had a friend of mine make a tutu and attach the tail to it. She looked really cute as well. We did see a few other cats, but she was the cutest one by far! The Harwells and the Lowrys met us and we trick-or-treated on Mitch's parents street first. It is always packed with kids. Gray dressed as spaghetti and meatballs (Katie, being the creative designer/art teacher that she is, came up with that. Gray told her the only way he would do that is if he could carry a weapon, so he had a badge and a gun!). Holden was a cowboy and Harrison was a fire fighter. (Harrison didn't want to pose for pictures). We went to my mom's house last because she had just gotten in from out of town. Later we went home and watched the ballgame (the Rangers won!)









Harrison (with Allyn), Holden, Ainsley, Will and Gray


Will and his friend Michael

On Sunday after church we let the kids paint their two small pumpkins. We couldn't find any paintbrushes, so we used q-tips. Later we poured the paint out and let them use their hands.





Harvest Fest was that night. There were lots of games for the kids - Will did pretty much all of the games; Ainsley did a few and then she just wanted to eat! (She had seen cookies on the way in!). Will loved the cake walk and did it for a long time. I don't know what he would've done if he'd won a cake, but he enjoyed participating. On the way out we let the kids jump in the bouncy house. Ainsley was not very happy to get out! She was on a major sugar high and got a few spankings when we got home! The kids finally crashed and Mitch and I watched the ballgame - the Rangers lost this one. I know the kids enjoyed Halloween, but I, for one, am glad it's over!