More pictures of the fun at Discovery Gateway!

Alex's 5th Birthday Celebration

Alex was so excited for his birthday party to finally be here.  He wanted to go to Discovery Gateway to celebrate, so we took the Howard Six and told him he could invite one friend.  He chose to invite Gavin Smith.  We had a great time!  The kids especially liked playing with the balls that get sucked into the vacuum system and with the helicopter on the roof.

Everyone in action on the helicopter!

Alex and his friend Gavin.

Posing in front of the Discovery Gateway sign.

Our blondie boy blowing out candles.

Baseball cupcakes.  Alex loves any kind of sport right now.  He was so excited to get a baseball mitt and tee for his birthday.  He set it out on display and wanted to show everyone his "collection."

After Discovery Gateway we went to California Pizza Kitchen and had pizza and sundaes.

10 Things We Love About Alex

1- His soft, velvety ears

2- His mischievious smile when he is trying to be sneaky (which is quite often)

3- He loves to have you guess "Which hand" and trade the item in his hand to the other hand.

4-He sings his ABC's like this "ABCDSRG" and refuses to sing it any other way.

5- He loves to snuggle, but hates to have kisses.  He even has told us he never wants to get married because he hates to kiss.

6- When he gets put in time out he likes to strip down to his underwear to let you know he is still in charge.

7- Alex likes to tackle, shoot (with his pretend gun) or hug his soccer teammates and the opposing team

8-Riding bikes is one of his favorite things to do, but he forgets to use his breaks

9-He adores his big brother, Connor, and loves to play Legos (Yegos) with him

10-Alex is very good at drawing clones and pirates and treasure maps

Happy Birthday to You...

Today was Alex's much anticipated 5th birthday.  He was so excited!  The day started off with Cassy and Connor making Alex breakfast in bed with Mom (Addy also insisted on joining in on the breakfast).  They also made Alex some special gifts that they gave him with his breakfast.  Then we looked through his scrapbook that includes pictures of the day he was born.  He opened the presents from Mom and Dad and later went shopping with Grammy ("with the yellow hair") and Gramps.  While they were at "Toys for Us" they gave him a crown and a balloon since he was there on his birthday.  I think he was more excited about the crown and balloon than anything else.  He wanted Grandma to take them home with her so that his brother and sisters wouldn't touch them.  Later that day he went to Grandma Maddy's to dye eggs, followed up by soccer practice.  A very busy and fun day for my big five year old.  Tomorrow comes the party!

Coloring Easter Eggs

Every year we get together with the Howard cousins and color Easter eggs with Grandma Madilyn.  This year we colored them outside because we had some good weather and because Grandma and Grandpa have just remodeled their house and the new digs have not been broken in enough to allow easter egg coloring inside.   

Simon Says

Today we stayed inside and had a PJ day, one of many since the snow and cold has returned.  Alex would love everyday to be a PJ day, but he would officially declare it Underwear Day! Usually we get dressed and go run errands or whatever and then  the second we get home Alex is stripped back down to his skivvies and playing Legos.  Friends are not immune, Alex doesn't care who is here, male or female, he strips down no matter what.  Cassy is, of course, completely mortified.  Anyway, back to our PJ Day.  We stayed in and watched Happily Never After II, which all my kids love, and we played games.  One of Alex's favorite games is Go Fish!  He likes to play every chance he gets.  He especially likes to win.  He has renamed the Queens as Principals.  Do you have any Principals?  And if you ask for Queens he lets you know you have not gotten the name right.  After Go Fish, we moved on to Simon Says.  I have never played Simon Says with a four year old.  Too funny!  First he told Addy and I to touch the chandelier, which you can't reach without a ladder.  So he told us to just lean over the banister really far so we could touch it.  The most original command came next, "Simon Says touch your boogers!"  Game over.