he looks pretty shocked that i'm posting on the blog on the same day that these pictures were taken. our little reed turned 5 today. max put this crown together for him to wear while we ate breakfast. it says "Happy Birthday Reed" with a 5 in each corner.
yes, he's eating out of a tiny cereal box. i never buy those variety packs of sugar cereal, but i thought it would be fun for his birthday. everyone else agreed. :)
reed was pleased with the bike we got for him. he was prepared, too--he's been riding a strider bike for a couple years, so he doesn't even know the bike came with training wheels. balance is no problem!
that envelope he's holding contained a couple of lollipops and a card from my mom and dad. we tried to set them aside, because it was before school, but not quickly enough for brynn. she was pretty focused on their location for the rest of the present-opening. but for now, thanks, grandma and grandpa mcmillan!
next was the robot from troy's parents. the hit of the day. reed's squeals of delight once the robot was out of the package and the batteries were in and we found the right button made this whole parenting gig really worth it. thank you, grandma and grandpa walker!
side note: the light you see is coming in from the window in our kitchen. i mention it because the change in light (because the path of the sun doesn't take it very high in the sky through the day) is one of the only reliable indications of winter in southern california. also, i'm trying to excuse my awesome photos with really high contrast because i didn't insist that we move the present opening to a more suitable spot.
remember the lollipops? we kept saying no to brynn and she would not have it! impressive indignation for such a little body.
we weren't dealing with breakdowns of this magnitude all day, which is a mercy. luckily the constant wail during robot preparation didn't deter the boys, and once the robot started moving, brynn forgot about the lollipops.
okay back to the robot.
it walks...oh, and makes LOTS of noises (
thanks walker grandparents!)
it also, according to the directions in the box, "sends frisbees," which we think meant "shoots discs" at some point in the translation process. i'm not sure if max was trying to avoid getting hit or trying to get hit, but it was a riot to watch. sadly, i didn't get any pictures of reed dancing along with the robot (it has a dance function too!). perhaps in the future i can get a video. it will be worth its own post.
later, after preschool, a bunch of reed's preschool friends joined our regular parkday friends (from church) for a fairly low-stress birthday party (sans hats, pinatas, games, goody bags, and presents except from a couple of rogue friends who brought a little something for the birthday boy). i sent a couple emails, made cupcakes and brought a few snacks to the park and voila! party!
thanks to my impromptu photographer, emily, in whose arms the camera battery died--but not before she got pictures of the joyous cupcake portion of the party.
this is when we were singing to the birthday boy. he really enjoys being the center of attention, that reed.
and here we are after dinner, setting fire to a cupcake. see that crown? it was a gift from one of the preschool dads! isn't it cute?
here's dean. i'm sure he would approve the mention of his horrible sickness this week. thankfully the vomiting part is over, but he's had a fever since monday and been out of school all week. today is the first day he's eaten like a fairly normal kid. except he only ate a
quarter of a cupcake.
yay for cupcakes! max was a super sweet brother today. he tied reed's shoes for him this morning before breakfast, and used his free choice time at school to make minecraft-themed presents for his little brother.
happy birthday reed! five years ago you entered the world, cord around your neck, inside a tiny stress-test room with no windows. you were blue! but you pinked up and we took you home, and then you were a dream baby who learned how to sleep through the night, or close to it, very quickly. and you cried only when you needed food, diaper change, burp or sleep. that's all we asked of you then. :) and now, you are a delightful little man with your own dance moves and unique ability to push your brothers' buttons. you love your little sister (even when she pushes your buttons) and you love going to preschool because you are a big kid too. you love to make books and draw pictures, and you can already sound out words! you started piano lessons with your brothers at the beginning of the school year and you love to play. you charm everyone you meet, and you talk to just about everyone you see.
we love you! happy birthday!
