A prehistoric party!

Grady's been obsessed with dinosaurs for a while now, so it wasn't hard to come up with a theme for his birthday party this year.

He was so excited for all of his friends to come over that he literally waited by the window for a solid hour.  Then he waited on the front steps for another half hour.  :)  I love him so much.

We had originally planned to have the party outside, but the forecast threatened rain, so my mom & I scrambled to get the attic cleaned up, floor painted, & closets curtained over two LATE nights.

We drug a table & our dining room benches up to the bedroom (since it wasn't yet furnished), & set up food & games in there.

We only played a couple of games (the attention span of 3-8 year olds varies!)...one of which was a version of "pin the tail on the donkey" using running Grady's and a T-Rex.

I googled "T-Rex drawing" & sketched out one of the images that popped up in an old frame we had lying around.

Getting ready to make his birthday wish while his friends sing to him!  He's the sweetest boy.  He'll make the best boyfriend someday - no lie!

We got the dinosaur hats at a dollar store in Nebraska.  I searched EVERYWHERE for them.  They were a hit!
 

Rawr!

I said..."RRRRRAAAAAAWWWWRRRRRRRRRRR!"

The party was a blast, but exhausting!  Good thing birthdays only come once a year...

Happy birthday sweet boy.  I'm SO lucky to be your mama.

5 years...

5 years since this little man was born...we began the morning by opening a few presents on the porch.

His "big" gift was a basketball hoop.  It took his dad & I 4 hours to assemble.

I think he played with it for more than four hours that day, though...so it was worth it!

That afternoon, my parents & brother came over for pizza & cake.

It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that this little guy is five & will be going to kindergarten in a couple of months.  In. Sanity.

A few days later, we had 10 of his friends over.  To say he was excited was an understatement.

I'll post some pictures from that party next!

Arrrighty...here's the Pirate Party rundown...

Grady's party was fun...super fun.  He had a blast, & we couldn't have got a more beautiful day.  Especially considering that the days leading up to & following his birthday were crap.  I'm so over rain & cold.  So over it.

Now for some pictures of my little love's Pirate Party!!!

I made the tassels above by tearing strips of red, blue, & black linen & knotting them around the rope.  Grady helped me paint the Jolly Roger flag & the skulls on the bunting.  For the bunting skulls I cut a regular Scotch green dish sponge into a stamp.  I was just kind of making things up as I went & had to be creative with the supplies I had at home!

My parents cut out the skulls on the cake toppers with their jigsaw.  I sprayed them white, drilled holes in the sides, & stuck them on some kebab skewers.  Then I sewed that little bunting & glued it to a couple more skewers.  (For those who are wondering, I found the B&W candles at Walmart!)

We had the blue glasses on hand from my college days, & wrapped a little twine around them to make them more "piratey".  The skull balloon was ordered from Oriental Trading.  I had it filled with helium at our Dollar Store & it didn't float at all.  Disappointing, but what do you do?  Not sure if it was them or the balloon that was faulty!

My BFF Angie brought her hubby (Captain Morgan up there) & her three beautiful kids over to help us celebrate.  Angie & I played volleyball together in college & her husband played basketball with Eli.  They're the best!  Julia & Grady might get married someday...  ;)

One of our gifts to Grady was a super rad tire swing.  My dad was the lucky one who got to hang it from our giant oak.  Sidenote: It was not my idea to make Eli's grandparents hold the ladder...I was in there with my mom & Marlene practically pushed me out of there to go take some pictures.  I kid you not.  They're super cool great-grandparents!  (Maybe the best ever.)

Grady & Greyson on the dune buggy...& Grady holding Angie's youngest, Jude.  They were all smiles, all day.  Easy-going boys!

 
That last picture above & to the right kills me.  It's so him.  Sweet, always happy, a little shy, & oh so adorable.  I love him.

I drew a treasure map on Grady's shirt with black & blue Sharpie & embellished it with some red thread in a few places.  It was inspired by a J.Crew/Crewcuts shirt I saw a long time ago.  Unfortunately they don't sell it anymore.  FYI, even though I "heat set" the Sharpie by ironing it, it did bleed some after I washed it.  I'd suggest using permanent fabric markers if you want to be sure it'll last through the wash.  The blue marker was the one that bled the most for whatever reason.

Happy Birthday little man!

We pretty much think you’re the best thing ever.  You’re the most thoughtful, bright, imaginative, & fun little boy we’ve ever been around.  You brighten every room you enter with your beautiful smile, cute little voice, & curly head of hair.  You make us laugh, you make us want to pull our hair out sometimes, & you make us remember to make time for fun.  I remember telling dad when you were a baby that I wanted you to be creative - I think that wish came true!  Your imagination is insane!

You’re smart.
You’re sweet.
You’re beautiful inside & out.
You’re energetic.
You’re perceptive.
You’re helpful.
you’re thoughtful.
You’re hilarious.
You’re confident.
You’re loving.
You’re you.
And you’re ours.

XOXO,
Mom & Dad