Murray...Party of Six: August 2017

I love how much kids enjoy growing older and how proudly they add that "half" to their years.

At this age Max is content to build his wealth in best friends and baseball cards. He sees goodness in everyone he meets.

I want to bottle up his innocence before its gone.

This whole business of growing-up is happening all around us, all the time. Which is how celebrating half birthdays became a thing in our house.

So on August 13th we stopped to have burgers and milkshakes, and take a good long look at the boy morphing into a young man right before our very eyes.

Today he's long and lean and has more confidence than I can handle sometimes. He's craving independence and autonomy more and more each day. And every day I'm reeling him in and reminding him that he's still only 7. Except now he crosses his arms firmly and says, "and a HALF!" "Oh right...and a HALF. My bad," I say in my most serious mom voice.

Happy Half to my sweet Max. The one who started it all.

You knew this was coming...flashback

Dear Sullivan,

You are straight out of my dreams. You're the image I conjured up when I thought about the son I might have one day. Dark hair, blue eyes, tender-hearted and creative. You are him. And even though we didn't expect your arrival, you were exactly the person we needed in our lives.

You're a pretty amazing 6-year-old, Sully. Your selflessness startles me, because it's a trait that honestly doesn't come easily to me (and most humans). But you were born with it in your bones and embody it fully. You'll effortlessly give up your favorite toy to Milo, give Max the last cookie without a fight and pass along every "parachute guy" you catch on the Fourth of July to one of the other kids in attendance...even if that means you don't get to take one home for yourself. I am awestruck by this very rare quality you possess. It's not always easy to put others first and yet it is part of the fabric of who you are.

The morning of your birthday you came downstairs as I was hanging up your birthday banner and said "thanks mom". I thought you meant for the banner so I said "oh, honey, it's just the same one I hang up every year! But you're very welcome." Then you said, "no...thank you for bringing me into the world on this day."

Every momma in on earth would love to hear those words from their child. And the ones who do...I doubt it was from their 6-year-old! My sweet old soul. You immediately regretted it because I hugged you and kissed you and got all teary-eyed...things that make a 6-year-old boy squirm :) But I could tell you genuinely meant your words.

And I want you to know that they'll ring in my ears forever.

My whole heart,

Momma

And now for the party! Every.Single.Year. it RAINS on Sullivan's special day (See Sully's Soggy 3rd Bday and Celebrating Sully:the rain curse continues for proof). I always worry about oppressive heat and each year it's cool and rainy. It never gets him down though. And he continues to insist on outdoor parties.

I threw together this invitation to print, but ended up sending an evite instead just to keep things simple. You get the idea...

Sullivan is OBSESSED with penguins...real ones, stuffed ones, plastic ones, books about penguins...I don't know where it came from but they're his favorite thing ever.

Sully wanted Penguin crackers (only sold at ALDI, ha:), popsicles and Jello Jigglers. I love how easy he is! And my amazingly talented friend, Gina, made the penguin cookies without me even asking...just because she's the absolute best. Everyone needs a Gina in their lives.

Not only cute, but they were delicious!

The day was cloudy and on the cooler side after crazy torrential rain the night before, but that didn't stop him or any of the kids from enjoying the sprayground.

The boys made this penguin stacking game themselves out of paper cups and white sticky felt:)

All the kids got to take home a penguin beach ball

Penguins in ice! The most random things keep kids entertained :)

After the park, we had family back to our house for Chicago dogs and more penguin-related fun. I cut the bottoms out of the cups and cut the tops off some balloons to make "penguin poppers". They loaded the cups with cotton balls and targeted each other. Cotton balls everywhere.