Hawken's birthday party!

Grandpa Louie and Grandma Kim got here the night before Hawken's birthday party, and we didn't tell him until that night. Both he and Matix were SO excited to see them. They love to have visitors, especially grandparents!  The moment it turned 7am, they ran out of their room and upstairs to wake up Grandma and Grandpa.

Later that morning we had some friends come over for the party. Hawken s now old enough to write his own guest list, and was very specific about the friends who should come to his party. Sadly, his cousins Hunter, Gavin and Alexandra live too far away, but they were on his list too.  We blew up balloons and waited for everyone to come.

This party was only half-way train themed. Hawken likes trains, and on the evite I sent it had a train, so we played one train themed game. Paul built two tracks and the kids each picked a train and cargo car and raced them. Anyone who did a race got a prize.  The kids were mostly just excited about getting the prizes.  The choices for prizes were sticky hands, lollipops, and small bottles of Thomas bubble bath.

After lots of fun in the playroom, we headed downstairs to eat and sing happy birthday to Hawken.  I wish I remembered to get a picture of the spread before everything was eaten, but Hawken had requested each food.  We had chocolate milk, "monkey bars" (granola bars), fancy potatoes, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, red and yellow and blue cupcakes, strawberries (and other fruit), carrots (and other veggies), lollipops, cookies, fruit crushers, and Izze soda. Yum.

I turned on a Thomas movie for some of the kids so watch while they ate. (The picture shows Barney, but that was only a preview) This movie was on repeat for the rest of the day.

While we grazed on the food, the kids and some of the parents slowly migrated outside.  I love our backyard. What will we do if we don't have one at our next house?!

Ryker had SO much fun playing in what was our sand box. It has very little sand anymore, and is now mostly dirt.  He and Lullaby and Chloe got CRAZY dirty.

Paul and Grandpa Louie took turns raking up the leaves into a pile for the kids to jump into. Hawken and Matix walked the plank about a million times. This was a very fun activity.

There were some cute babies at the party too. The first is baby Gray (Ryker's brother).  Second is Claire, Matix couldn't get enough of her.

Most of the friends left around noon (nap time!), but Dries and Petal stayed for a little longer and Hawken opened his present from them.  He got a car loader, which he is now completely obsessed with.  Dries made the card, so sweet.

He opened his other gifts after nap and WOW was he ever spoiled by his friends.  He got a Bumblebee Transformer and movie, Happy Feet 2, and a police car and helicopter. Lucky boy. My grandma Evie had sent cards for Matix and Lullaby and we let them open the cards during this present extravaganza.  It helped a lot. Watching others open presents when you have none is so hard when you're little.

Hawken had a great day, and even up until today, he sings himself to sleep with the happy birthday song. He loves having a day to celebrate HIM. And we love the excuse too. He is such a sweet boy. Thanks to the friends who came and Grandma and Grandpa too!