My babies...
My funny,
chubby,
happy,
smiley,
sleepy babies...
are seven.
Yes, I said SEVEN.
I don't know how it is possible. Seven seems like such a big number to me. Maybe because they are older than the kids I teach. Maybe because they are like real kids. Maybe because they only have three more years in the single digits (wait, WHAT??!?!!). In any case, my big kids deserved a big birthday weekend.
We started out Saturday morning with a present from Mom and Dad. Rainbow Loom and a basketball hoop were a big hit!
After that, it was off to paint pottery, which was their birthday activity of choice.
By the afternoon, we were all ready for the family party. Since we were headed to Great Wolf Lodge the next day, we decided that they must have a water slide cake. Of all of the cakes we have made it was by far the least labor intensive but I love how it turned out!
While we waited for the guests to arrive, we put the new presents to the test.
(Psssst! Don't tell anyone, but Daddy might love the Rainbow Loom more than Abby)
When everyone arrived, we had Brinner (breakfast for dinner) with all of the cousins. I love all of those sweet faces so much!!
After presents,
and cake,
we were off to bed to rest up for the big adventure the next day.
After watching the Broncos secure a spot in the Super Bowl (which made our day soooooooo much better!) we were off for our first adventure at Great Wolf Lodge.
We played games
and searched for treasure
and watched TV in our cool cabin room (which one of my children, who will remain nameless, declared was a "waste of wood. You could use all this wood to make more beds or something.")
We crossed the lily pads
and played in the wave pool and had a great time doing everything but going down water slides.
The mere mention of water slides sent them both into terrified fits of tears. Ben tried one because he was promised ice cream but came out the other end crying and swore off water slides for the remainder of the trip. Abby held out for a little longer but eventually the idea that he might get ice cream and she might not got the better of her and she agreed to try it. By the time we got to the top, she had changed her mind but by that point there was only one way down. So we wrestled a kicking and screaming child in the tube and shoved off down the slide. I half expected CPS to be waiting for us at the bottom. And after all that nonsense, she loved it! But true to her stubborn self, she refused to go again. Until I mentioned that I might be willing to buy new bands for the Rainbow Loom for every slide she went down. Sure, she is smarter than I am. And yeah, I had to spring for 3600 new teeny tiny rubber bands but it was totally worth it to spend two hours riding water slides with my little dare devil.
In the morning, we celebrated with a few more presents and some cake before heading off to the water park again.
By the time we got home, we were all exhausted. But I don't think their seventh birthday is one that any of us will soon forget.
As I think back over the past year, I am amazed at all that has happened. They read chapter books and write stories. They learned to knee board. They (and I) have learned that they can survive without each other and they are thriving in their own classes for the first time. They have lost a grand total of 9 teeth and they learned (almost) every word to "The Star Spangled Banner". They make me laugh daily with their wit and sarcasm and they drive me crazy with their goofy jokes. They are happy, healthy, kind, smart and funny and I am so very glad that they are mine.
Last night, after he had been asleep for a few hours, Ben started fussing up in his bed. I went up to check on him and he said, "Momma, I need a snuggle." So I laid down in his bed, and he curled up on top of me and went right to sleep. And I stayed there for longer than I usually would because I was so thankful to find out that seven year olds still need their momma.
