Happy Birthday, Wyatt Hal!

Happy Birthday my sweet, sweet boy. How is it possible that you're five years old already!?

We had a fun birthday celebration yesterday at Chuck E Cheese with Wyatt's friends. I tried to talk him into something more lowkey, but that is what the birthday boy wanted. I know I've talked a big anti-birthday party game in the past, but I think it's fun to do a party once in a while (this is our first). By not doing it every year, I think we can keep it more special. This is the first year he's really been interested in doing one anyway. I had my babysitter meet us there to help watch the kids so I could attend to party details and what a huge help she was! Hadley was on a mission tearing through that place and Tracy followed her from game to game. For at least the first 20 minutes, Hadley thought she was playing the games by watching the free demo, then she realized you need tokens to play. She was pretty excited when she figured out the games actually do more!

Each party goer got a little cup of tokens to play the games of their choice. They were all running from game to game, finding the one they wanted. Wyatt stuck right by his friend Peyton and she lead him around to all the games. It was so sweet seeing them play all the games together. She told her mom that Wyatt is her boyfriend - so cute!

 

The kids played for a while, then we were called to the party area for pizza and showtime. Dayven stopped by to see the festivities and have some cake and Wyatt was happy to see him. Believe it or not, it was our first party at Chuck E Cheese and I was impressed with how much they actually do to make the birthday kid feel special. They played special music and made a big to-do, then Chuck E Cheese himself came out to see the birthday boy. He was singing and dancing and clapping his hands (the mouse, not Wyatt). Chuck presented Wyatt with a special crown (which he refused to wear) and sang Happy Birthday to him, while the waitress brought out the cake and lit the candle. Then he had all the kids get up and dance with him and play a little game. Hadley hugged him (her?) at least 17 times. She had the biggest smile on her face and just kept on hugging him. Wyatt hugged him and then just gave him high five. Wyatt had his chance to go in the ticket blaster booth, but he declined. It's a glass booth that blows air and the tickets all go flying around, while you try to grab as many as you can. Hadley was game to try, but once it started up, she was a little freaked and took her goggles and said she was done.

Wyatt had requested a Transformers cake so I just made a basic rectangle cake and jazzed it up a bit to match the theme. He woke up that morning and told me he had a dream that I made a very special cake while he was sleeping. I told him it was true and took him downstairs to see it. He loved it. We ate our cake with his friends, then opened presents. Pretty much every friend got him a Transformer of some kind so his collection is set! He was so happy to open them all, and of course, said thank you nicely to everyone. The kids all seemed to be having a great time. We gave each boy a little Transformer car and the girls a small Strawberry Shortcake figure as a party favor before sending them on their way. Wyatt had a ball playing with all his new toys all afternoon while Hadley napped. She was wiped out from all the partying too!

Today is his actual birthday. When he came in my room this morning, I wished him Happy Birthday, but he said "No mommy, yesterday was my birthday." I guess all the celebrating confused him a little. I told him it was his special day and we could do anything he wanted and he picked the library (he's a simple guy at heart) so that's what we did.

I asked Wyatt what he wanted for dinner - it's a tradition at our house that the birthday person gets to pick whatever meal they want (within reason - no ice cream for dinner!). I figured he would pick pasta, both his fav and mine, but he said macaroni and cheese. I tried to sway him toward something else, but he was adamant. M&C it is! Dayven and I ate some white chicken chili I had frozen from earlier, along with cornbread. I don't really consider macaroni and cheese a meal. After dinner, we ate some leftover birthday cake and opened his presents from Nana and Poppy and also "Ernie" (my cousin Erin) and his Godmother, Ning. This kid scored some loot and Hadley did too - there were some belated birthday goodies in each box for her. She was so excited to be able to share in the gift opening. It was a pretty great birthday!