Turning 5

For Japheth's 5th birthday he decided to have a Mario Party.  So of course we had to come up with everything Mario.  We played Mario Says, colored a Mario picture, played Pin the Raccoon Tail on Mario, and played hit the block (our Mario version of a pinata).  We ate power-up mushrooms cupcakes, though they looked better in my head than I was able to make, and everyone got to take their stuff home in a Mario question box.  It was a lot of fun and we're glad that everyone could make it!  Thanks for all the great presents from friends and family, he has been enjoying all of them!

Just pretend the cupcakes look like mushroom power-ups.

Pin the tail

Question take home boxes

Proud artists

Hit the block

Mustache fun!

In news about Japheth, he can't wait to start kindergarten.  He has been asking lately when he gets to go now that he's 5.  And he's always dissapointed to have to wait until the fall.  He reads and writes very well! And itsn't too bad at simple math.  He loves to play, ride his new bike, read and do puzzles.  He weighs 37lbs and 7oz and is 42inches tall (just under 50% for height).  He's a good big brother most of the time, and a sweet little boy.  He's still very friendly with everyone we see and loves to be social.  It's really hard to believe that he's already 5!

March Madness!

Grampa John & Japheth

Most years March is a busy month for us, but this year has been crazier than most!  Between two birthdays, a funeral and an interview this month is barely half over and I'm starting to feel exhausted.  Douglas' father past away the week before Japheth's birthday, and we had to move his party to be able to have the funeral.  I was a little worried that having this unexpected circumstance would put a damper on Japheth really being able to enjoy turning 5, and that it would be hard to jump back and forth between such contrasts constantly until his birthday was over.  Fortunately things were able to work out nicely in the end; everyone was able to switch to the earlier birthday party, and they all seemed to have a really good time.  At the same time, those who needed to be to the funeral were able to come, we had a nice service, and the boys did really well handling everything.  Of course Xander didn't have a clue what was going on, but I think Japheth was able to understand a little.

Boys playing after the funeral

Douglas is currently on his way to Vermont to interview (after celebrating his birthday early).  While he's gone I get to take the boys to their yearly check-up.  And after he gets home we go on a double date with some good friends and then he gets to have a Halo "birthday" party.  I still feel like I'm in the middle of a whirl-wind, but I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful little family to share it all with!