Spiderman's Birthday

(Josh's birthday was almost 3 months ago, and I have been uploading pictures slowly ever since. It takes too long to do pictures these days. But I was determined to document at least big-deal things, like birthdays.)

Josh picked this picture for the front of his birthday party invitation - wouldn't you come?

Josh said he wanted a Spiderman birthday party, but when it came time to choose an invitation picture, he decided the more superheroes, the better. So, we decided it would be a superhero-kind-of-spiderman party. We turned the trampoline into a spider web, and the kids put the presents there.

The first activity was making capes. They colored with markers, glitter glue, and jewels (I was thinking for the girls, but they were over-all very popular, especially with Noah).

Here they are lined up at the fence for their relay race.

Here are the relay race instructions coming . . . pretty funny. The 6 year olds loved it, the 4 year old just kind of ran around. It was funny. Perfect that at that age they all considered themselves winners.

All gathered around the spider web - so cute. They thought the web was cool, and most kids took home a spider. However one little girl said, "Um, usually I don't play in spider webs."

I taped bad guys from Spiderman all over the fence, and gave each of the kids a can of silly string so they could shoot webs at them. They LOVED this, and wanted more when their cans were gone. It was hilarious, because they couldn't understand how to work the cans at first, and Gary had to help them, but even so, they couldn't get enough. Maybe it was Gary's "Let's really get these bad guys" narrative ("Dr. Octopus, you don't stand a chance with Cooper's web!"). Here Josh is demonstrating what it was like, using his spiderman-head squirt gun.

He also wanted to make sure I got a picture of him getting the bad guys with the new squirt gun he got from one of the little girls. Pretty awesome.

Here it is, the stuff kids' dreams are made of, coming true at last . . . blowing out the birthday candles!! (I had visions of an amazing cake I was going to make him, but ran out of time due to cutting out capes. So I put stickers on blue frosting. That's the sad part for me, but he thought it was incredible. I love kids. Also, we had Spiderman, Superman, and Batman pictures taped all over the tables.)

Hooray, Happy Birthday, Josh! The party was a ton of fun. Josh was so excited for it beforehand, it was unreal. He'd dance all around the house singing about, "Having a party with all my friends and cousins!" As we drove from house to house and I watched him proudly go up to the doors and give out his invitations, I teared up. I love seeing him so happy! I also love his imagination, and that such simple party activities could be such a wonderland for him.

I heard later that when he gave his invitation to his friend Kelty, she opened the door and Josh shoved an invitation at her and said, "You're coming to my party, Kelty."

As for Josh being 4, it's crazy because it's not that crazy. When my kids have had birthdays in the past I've said, "I can't believe he's __." But since we've had Andrew, it seems like Josh should be at least 4. He's done such a good job of being a good brother to Andrew, and is turning into the example for all of the kids. I was thinking lately how it's almost not fair how he has to be the first to show restraint, and to learn to act how he should, because if he does the others follow more easily. However, someone has to do it, and he is perfect for the job. He really is my buddy, the one who talks with me. I love his funny little mind, and I adore his billion-dollar smiles.

The party was on Saturday, but his actual birthday wasn't until Sunday. He started out the day with what we've started making a tradition, with opening his present from Grandma and Grandpa S.

Yep, Grandma knows what to get. I think this is some type of attack pose.

Josh loved getting sung to in Primary, and afterwards led me into the empty Primary room to show me where he stood during the song, and told me about how afterwards all of the kids prenteded he was a candle and blew him out. After dinner later that night, we led him into the garage to reveal one final present - the one  from Mom and Dad.

Do you think he likes it?