Celebrating Six!

Joshua Robert turned 6 years old on Sunday, August 14!
Josh was born six years ago on a Sunday afternoon.
And what a miraculous Sunday that was!

It's been very special celebrating his birthday this year.
Josh is old enough to ask questions and love listening to his story.
Saturday night was full of "This Time Six Years Ago" stories.
And...did I mention that Josh was baptized this year on his sixth birthday?!
Another very miraculous Sunday, August 14, for our family!

Joshua is also one smart cookie!
For the past two years, he has requested a brownie cake for his birthday rather than a cake cake.

I admit...in this context, smart means that he is in agreement with my tastes.
I much prefer brownies loaded with chocolate chunks and frosted with Texas Sheet Cake frosting (a.k.a. Hershey's Fudge) to any flavor of cake.
I'm sorry.

Brownie cake with ice cream and toppings.
Birthday Brownie sundaes!

Josh was so funny this year.
His "take-charge, in-control...tad-bit bossy" personality really came through.
Smart boy.

This year, he had an opinion on EVERYTHING birthday related.
He even decorated his own brownie with his Lego figures--before the frosting was set!

Once I let go of some of my take-charge, in-control...tad-bit bossy tendencies, I decided that he had done a pretty good decorating job!



Josh decided on Tacos for his birthday lunch.
I was leaning toward a slightly less complicated meal...like Chili!
Chewbacca Chili, Josh!
Doesn't that sound yummy?
Nope.
Tacos it is.

And after lunch?
Presents!!

Here's a picture of Josh, ready and waiting for present time, with Grandpa.

Can you guess what I love about this picture?
See that sweet little baby face in the frame above Josh?
That's 10-month old Baby Josh.
He really hasn't changed a bit.



Carrie hasn't admitted to this yet, but I know that Matthew is getting more airplane rides because she is conditioning for a new season of basketball.
I predict that Josh will be next in line for airplane rides.
When I get my turn, then I KNOW that she had an ulterior motive.



Star Wars-related gifts were pretty popular!
Here's the amazing thing...this is his second year of having a Star Wars party.
Christmas was in between.
And still...NO duplicate gifts!
To be honest, I don't think it would matter if he got a duplicate Star Wars anything, because he loves it all so much.



Star Wars Lego shirt!!



I love this!
Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, Grandma took Josh out bike shopping.
Josh picked out his favorite bike that day, and he knew that it was the gift that Grandpa and Grandma were getting him for his birthday.

On the day of his party, there was no gift from Grandpa and Grandma.
Grandma asked him if he knew what they had gotten for him.
He made several guesses, but he truly had forgotten what they were giving him!

You should have seen his face when his orange bike was pushed out from behind the love seat.

He was so surprised and excited!



I had to take another picture of the brownie, because Josh kept tweaking his creation.
You will notice to the bottom right of the brownie, C3PO and the other 2 guys with him are now flat on their backs (Lying? Laying? I try to avoid that word and it's verb forms, because I can never remember which to use.)

I asked Josh about this, and he told me that those guys are doing snow angels.
Of course!



Festive picture of the party blowers.
I was being photographically creative with this one while at the same time trying to remain in control of the camera.



BROWNIE TIME!

Here are GG (Great-Grandma), Grandma, Grandpa, and Carrie...



William with one of the festive party blowers...



Grandma...



William loves to light the birthday candles.
He is a pyromaniac.



Look at that gentle blow!
I think that he is using The Force to extinguish these candles!



Did you think that I like to remain in control of the camera because I am a take-charge, in-control...tad-bit bossy person?
No.
It's because Paul has a dark side complete with a strong drive and deep determination to get me looking like a dork (USA pejorative slang for a quirky, silly and/or stupid, socially inept person, or one who is out of touch with contemporary trends. Often confused with nerd and geek, but does not imply the same level of intelligence).



See?!



Then it was outside to really give that bike a try!



Hey, Matthew.
What do you think of William riding his new Monkey Bike in the rain?



William laid (?????) claim to Josh's old bike, put a new seat on it, and deemed it The Monkey Bike.

What do you think?



No comment.



Happy Birthday to my sweet boy, Joshua Robert!



I love you very much.

Enjoying the special things,