Birthdays, Birthdays

...2018...

...the year of Birthdays...2018 signify's so many milestone birthdays in our family....so many in fact that I set my goals for the year around them...take time to reflect and spend time celebrating each of them...with the person...and share with them what they mean to you....a few 40's, a few 70's and even an 80....but before we get to the real big ones...we had to start off with a little one...like a little dude that is physically bigger than most 6 year olds....funnier than any adult I know...yet, just recently turned the ripe old age of four....

...my Thomas the Train loving....Chuck E. Cheese loving (minus the giant rat)....little man Paxton Bailey....

...and the baby of the family had everyone in town to help him celebrate....

 

...his Grammie and Bambi....

....his Papa, Poppy, Coley Pop and Momma and Daddy....

....and he had a day cake for party day and a night cake....I do try not to spoil him, there wasn't enough cake from the party for all the in town family so I do try...well except in holding him and picking him up...I don't even try there...Kirk says I might be making him a bit of cry baby.... and it is true, I may be picking him up and trying to hold him until he is 10...

....but I am not the only one....and then when his real Birthday rolled around...we had to do something to commemorate...so we all joined the train trip he usually does with just Daddy....

....and then a feast at Grammie and Papa's house...after enjoying some ice cream with Momma at lunch the day prior....

....yes, this might not have been a milestone one for the little guy...but it sure was celebrated...he loved having his friends from Goddard School join him at Chuck E Cheese's to play and he loved getting gifts...although at the end of them all he just wanted to play floor hockey with his big brother...but he is so very loved....and I am positive he is aware....he was just excited to have a real Birfday parwty for the first time...

...and speaking of milestones...we kicked the year off of big ones with Papa's...and Grammie threw a fantastic party downtown....and this family sure loves a party and some cake...

 

...Papa was surprised....to say the least...and walked in exclaiming....I didn't know I had this many friends!....and his biggest fans were the first to greet him at the door...they did in fact get all dressed up to attend the big party...

...and even had outfit changes for the night....

...it was so great to have so much family from different parts attend for the evening...

...and friends that have known me since I was the age Paxton is now...

...and of course the dancing crew...

...yep, it was truly a night to remember...in fact, I struggled to close the door on the evening...even with a sleeping four year old and two technology crazed elementary kiddos in tow...we stayed up late talking about all of the great conversations and memories relived that very evening from friendships and family over the years....

...and we completed the Spring Birthday Festivities with a visit to Indiana to celebrate the 80th Birthday of the man who taught me so very much....Poppy...things like pool playing and the best way to fill up a water balloon...and toss it off the roof....and why it's so important to let vanilla ice cream melt a little and stir it around with the chocolate syrup before devouring too quickly...or the best ways to conquer your fears on a water slide during many summer vacations...and most importantly....what it means to be loved beyond measure....

...so we didn't teach him much ourselves but we did remind him what it is like to have a birthday with three wild little ones...and they requested he put the sombrero on for the picture....

...you see, he raised three little ones himself...when he wasn't more than a little one...so he knows this all too well...

...and while I don't think this one was a true surprise...I do think that the kids did a nice job running in with birthday balloons upon arrival and creating a Birthday stir....

...and it doesn't take us long to get a party started....

...I love the clarity of these photos...Pop doesn't get caught smiling on camera too much...in fact, he's got a hard line of ridicule waiting for you if your own smile is too big when in front of the camera....but this new iPhone is capturing things so clear and quickly that I can get the little smiles as they happen naturally....

...see?!!...

...and you can see that my oldest has clearly learned...as Poppy so eloquently calls it...the bleep eating grin....

...this crew must be a part of all gift giving and getting...I'm not sure how it happened but they all got new shoes upon arrival for Pop's birthday...which is kind of how things have always happened regardless of age on trips to Indiana....

...like new sleeping bags and pillows for a fun sibling sleepover....

...I mentioned loved beyond measure...well this is what it looks like...both ways....and I am fulfilled for the moment...for my goals....but really for the chance to spend time celebrating those who we love and those who love us...not because of their age, but because of the age...the age to celebrate......because that is what it is all about...celebrating the life and love every chance we get...

....Happy Birthday my loves...