Way to Go Timmy!!

Last night I went to Timmy's baseball game. He plays on the Yankees team and they are undefeated with 2 ties. Timmy is the only kid on the team who hasn't hit the ball...until last night! Don't get me wrong - he's gotten on base plenty by really watching the ball and walking, but no hits. Last night the first ball was way outside and he didn't swing. The next swing he smacked that ball so hard, it soared to shortstop! It wasn't a grounder or pop fly. It was a solid hit and he singled to first. Awesome! To be honest, every time he gets up to bat I'm probably more nervous than he his. If Timmy strikes out he just happily walks to the dugout. When he walks he casually brings his bat to the dug out and sets it down. We have been telling him that he doesn't need to do that, the coach will grab the bat. I really wasn't expecting him to hit the ball at all last night. I was so surprised and happy and proud of him. I even had tears of joy because I was able to see him hit it! It was a wonderful moment. He had the biggest grin on his face too. I think the grin was a combination of happiness that he hit the ball, and excitement of going to Culvers afterward. We had told him that we would bring him to Culvers when he hit the ball. He stole second base and it was clear that he was the most excited player on the field.

After the game, I asked Timmy how he felt and he said that he didn't even realize he hit the ball because he closed his eyes for second right when he hit it. Then he quick opened them and ran as fast he could to first base when he realized that he hit the ball! He said it was cool that Auntie Rachel and Uncle Aaron were there to see him hit the ball, but he said it would've been way cooler had his dad been there to see it. Jeff wasn't feeling well so he stayed home with Kenan and Micah. Of all the games. Oh well, I'm that he will see Timmy hit the ball again.

Partied out!

We threw a 5th a birthday celebration for Kenan this afternoon.  This was the first time he's had a party where he was able to invite friends, and he was so excited all day!!  He invited 10 kids and 7 showed up: Aiden, Axl, Chloe, Daniel, Jacob, Jude, and Owen.  With the exception of Jacob who is a good family friend, the rest of the kids were from Kenan's preschool class. Hannah, Timmy, and Micah were great helpers!  Micah helped by napping the entire time!! Hannah and Timmy played with the kids, helped fetch punch and cake, hand out the hats, help with scavenger hunt, and many other tasks.  The weather was beautiful for the party so we had the entire party outside, with the exception of the all important potty breaks.  Even the cake and ice cream was eaten outside.   There were no clouds in the sky and the temp. was 77.  I have to say the party turned out great for planning it on the fly, and not having an idea for decorations.  I took the wait and see approach as Hannah and I drove to Party City where most everything is way over priced.   I was not very good at planning ahead on this one.  All I knew was that Kenan wanted a dinosaur party.  I had no idea what I'd find for decorations, but once there had a blast picking out stuff, and my head was buzzing with ideas for decorating. Overall an awesomely fun, yet tiring day.  What a success!!

Here is the pin the fossil dinosaur head on the skeleton game.  The kids had a blast with it, and it ended up being a 6 headed dinosaur.  It also provided a great back-drop for pictures with the birthday boy.  
Here is where we hung the pinata.  It had the pull strings so it was much safer than 5 year olds swinging a big stick at it.  Each kid got to pull a string twice before the candy finally came out.  We tried to find a dinosaur themed pinata but ended up getting a bull.  None of the kids noticed so that was good.   
Here is where we set the tables up.  The card table didn't have an umbrella, so to make it more festive looking, we tied balloons to little dinosaurs and used it as a center-piece.  
We didn't have another card table so we used our round table with an umbrella.  We hung dinosaur decorations underneath the umbrella.  We hung green streamers along the fence and used green table cloths to give the impression of a jungle.  We used dinosaur printed napkins, orange plates, blue forks, and purple cups.  Good bags were the pinata candy, dinosaur bookmarks, dinosaur pinball games, dinosaur finger puppets, and little barrels or pterydactls.   The kids used little paper gift bags of green, blue, and red to collect their finds.  We splurged on plastic explorer hats for each kid instead of the cardboard cone hats.  The kids were explorers and went on a scavenger hunt for their prizes.  As far as the activities mentioned above, they came in handy, but mostly the kids wanted to run and play around, which was fine by us.  :-)   Kenan unwrapped the presents, but we didn't open the packages until all his friends left.  We didn't want pieces to get lost, toys to get broken, and feelings getting hurt.  We told each child that we would try to have play dates later this summer so that they could each have a chance to play with Kenan individually.  They were happy with that.                        

                                                     

The cake was from target.  I love the cakes from target!  Something about the frosting makes them delicious!  We also served punch.  That was a big hit!  The punch is really easy to make.  It consists of hawaiian punch, and 7-up.  You pour an equal amount of each into a punch bowl or pitcher and server.  Simple and delicious!                    

Two things I learned:

For any person throwing a party for a bunch of 4-5 year olds, is to make sure you have a whistle.  I did not have one, but I know it would've helped tremendously!!

Plan ahead.  I think the party turned out great, but how much better it would've been had I planned ahead and thought about decorations, loot prizes and other fun stuff.  I'm not complaining by any means, but I wish I would've thought further ahead on this.  That's okay though, as long as the birthday boy and his guests had a great time, nothing else matters!  

Good try Kenan.

Yesterday Hannah had her friend Emma over for the day.  Kenan was being goofy and tried to get Hannah to open her door to let him in.  When it didn't work, He tried saying, "Hey Hannah.  Can I please come in? It's Hannah Montana."  Still didn't work.  What a nut. 

Today is Kenan's 5th birthday.  He was born at 3:52 five years ago.  Even with all the struggles and challenges that boy brings with him, these 5 years have gone by so fast.  He is so funny and loves to do things to make people laugh.  He is kind and sweet and usually has something very sweet to say, especially when it isn't accompanied by the word poop.  He is so smiley and cheerful and brightens my day.  I can't believe he is 5 today!  This morning he came into our room and said "I'm 5 today!"  Later, I asked him to get dressed since he was only in his underwear.  Jeff said that he was going to wear his birthday suit.  Kenan's reply, "I don't have a birthday suit."  I said "yes you do."  Kenan- "where is it, I can't find it."  He was able to have a playdate with his friend Jacob today and they played so nicely!  Kenan thought it made his birthday very special to have his good friend Jacob over to play.  

Tonight Kenan has a t-ball game.  I wonder what silly things he will do tonight.  After his game we will have cake, and presents.  

Some assembly required

Why do toy companies make toys that need to be assembled?  I have a problem with it for a couple different reasons...#1  patience to a 2 year old is a foreign concept!  When I started to assemble his little people garage he threw a fit, because he wanted it NOW.  #2 it never just goes together easily.  It either has tons of tiny little screws that you have to screw into the toy, or there is one piece that just won't fit right with the piece it's supposed to.  An no matter how hard you try you can't fit it in there.  Why can't the instructions say that optional tools might be needed to pry the piece into place or something.  Finally the garage was assembled and you could never tell that our 2 year old had ever thrown a massive fit.  

I wonder... if you never tell a 2 year old that they are 2 will they not enter the terrible 2's?  All's well that end well though.  :-)

By the way this has only heightened my quest to find the ultimate assembly required toy for our niece when she turns 2.  :-) Stay tuned...

Legos, legos, legos

Yesterday we celebrated the boys' birthdays with the extended family. One of the presents that Kenan got was an Indiana Jones lego set. I think each of the Aunts and Uncles took turns assembling some of the set. I finished it this afternoon. It was a nice bonding time with Kenan. I am enjoying these times with him more and more. Partly because he's so much more fun now than when he wouldn't listen, and because I know that he is only this age once. He is starting Kindergarten in the fall time and I won't have these times during the day anymore. While building his set, he asked me how old I was. I said "30" he said how many is that? I showed him 10 fingers 3 times and he said "wow! That's cool!" Then he said "mommy, am I 5 yet?" Me- "nope 2 more days." Him- "mommy, say that's cool." Me- "that's cool!" Him- "I love you mommy."

t-ball escapes #2

This past week, while playing t-ball Kenan decided to eat the dirt, as well as stick the little rocks up his nose.  Thankfully he got them all out himself.  After the game on Thursday Kenan was running around "scaring" people while shouting boogey boogey boo!  He went up to a bunch of people and finally a little 2 year old girl who was walking with her grandma.  He got in her face and went boogey boogey boo!   The little girl stopped in her tracks and reached for her grandma.  Of course we had Kenan apologize, but it was kinda funny.  We didn't let on to Kenan though.  Oh Kenan!