9 Years Old

For your viewing pleasure...I took a picture of Jackson's spring pictures proofs from school with my phone. I LOVE school pictures. They are most always horrible and Jack has a tendency to use his "weird" smile. Also, because I never buy them, I pay no attention to when picture day actually is, so my kids usually end up wearing some crazy mismatched outfit. This year, I was pleasantly surprised with Jack's picture. I think he looks like he is getting older.

Now, on to the birthday extravaganza. It started yesterday with sausage pizza and ice cream. Today he woke up to birthday decorations, his favorite cereal, and some presents. Ryan and I got him a Jimmer Fredette shirt and a BYU backpack. He loved them. After school he got to open a present from Josh and Jess. It was an art kit and a paint by number set. He really likes them and has been sketching all afternoon.

We had a birthday dinner tonight and we sang Happy Birthday and ate cake. It was just me and the kids, since Ryan had to work, and we had a blast.

Tomorrow Mom and Dad are coming over to visit and bring more presents.

Next week when Ryan is home, we are going to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate some more.

It is the never ending birthday!

Here is the cake I made for Jack. It is my first attempt at a real cake and it turned out pretty good. I used a star shaped frosting tip and covered the cake in chocolate stars. It was a little time consuming, but well worth it. His face lit up when he saw the cake and he ran over and hugged me. He declared this the best birthday ever. (Later he said he couldn't believe I could make that. He thought it was just going to be a regular brown cake with a football drawn on it, not an actual football cake. )

For his real birthday dinner I made his favorite meal. Honey mustard chicken with rice. We also had garlic bread and steamed broccoli. It was delicious and it was too bad Ryan had to work, because he totally missed out.

Jackson is very into sports. He loves to play football, basketball, and tether ball. Lately, he has spent a lot of time outside on the back patio practicing his dribbling.

Opening his presents from J & J.

Bad picture, but the kids and I ate half of the cake ourselves. Not only was it cute, but it was delicious. Really! I don't even like cake very much and I ate it up.

A work in progress, I still had to take it out and do the sides and fill the top in a little bit when I took this picture.

What would my blog be without adorable pictures of Cam. He is now 7 months old and he thoroughly enjoyed Jack's birthday balloons.

We are so grateful to have Jackson in our family. I can so vividly remember the day of his birth and how sad and terrifying it was. I could never have dreamed how wonderful things would turn out and what an awesome (and healthy) kid he would be 9 years later. We love you Jack.

(I am planning on taking some good pictures of him on Sunday when he is dressed up nice. Stay tuned for that :)