Miles' 4th Birthday

We celebrated Miles' birthday at Chuck E Cheese on Saturday night.  Darrin & I both love Chuck E Cheese, but we've only been there on a week night or Sunday afternoon....never a Saturday.  I booked his party online and happened to be by the Chuck E Cheese (an hour away) two weeks ago, so I stopped in to confirm the party....on a Saturday.  You can see where this is going.  Oh my.  It was a zoo in there.  Kids everywhere, tickets, buzzers, lights flashing...a crazy house.  I came out to the car and told Darrin that we were in for it.

Thankfully, it seemed slightly better during our party.  It was still crazy but Miles loved it and the kids seemed to have fun too.  Cambry rode with us, which Miles loved...

The party started at 5:30.  The kids were each given 20 tokens and got to play for 45 minutes.  That was perfect b/c it gave everyone time to arrive.

Some adults got in on the games too...

...and some held down the party fort and watched the Chuck E Cheese show over and over and over...

They all got two pieces of pizza and drinks.  We were assigned a party hostess and she was amazing.  She set up the table including the party favors I bought.  She also filled all the drinks and cut the cake.  I think she was the key to sanity during the night.

  

After pizza it was time for the birthday show.  There were four, yes four, birthday parties going on at once. Chuck E Cheese comes out and all the characters dance.  The birthday kids are all asked to stand up.  He seemed to enjoy being recognized...

I was concerned how he would handle Chuck E Cheese.   He's never been a fan of any characters.  I even told the hostess that we might need to skip that party.  To my surprise, he offered a hug to Chuck E Cheese.  If I know my son, he probably didn't want to look silly in front of his friends so he sucked it up and did what he had to do.  I was very happy for him...

On another note, all the birthday kids were given a guitar b/c the theme was Rock Star birthday.  They were supposed to play and put on a show.  He.Was.Not.Having.It.  No way.  It was written all over his face that he felt ridiculous.  I asked him later and he said he was embarrassed.  We quickly told him he didn't have to do it and that was the end of that.  He did put on a good show for me yesterday in the privacy of our house :)

He was presented a Chuck E Cheese medallion that he loved. 

Then, it was time for cake.  His birthday party theme was Octonauts...

After the birthday show & cake, some kids played and some hung around for pictures and presents.  The sequence of the night was actually very good.  I'm hoping everyone else felt the same.  They seemed to move quickly from one thing to the next, which is optimum for 4 year olds.

Miles & Colt....Miles is really into posing lately...Must work on more masculine poses :)

Miles got a disc for disc golf from Granny & Pa.  Ansley is being a big helper...

Legos from Marmee...

Miles & Ben...

Miles said it was the best party ever!

The $50 Funnel Cake

I convinced Darrin to take a two hour break from preseason and go with us to the Obion County fair last night. We'd never been before & several friends talked about how much fun it was for their kids.  I guess because their kids enjoy rides.  Miles....not so much.  After paying $30 for the three of us to get in, we could not convince him to do anything.  Everything was too fast or bumpy or went up high.  I wish I had pictures to show you these death defying rides that I speak of.  I'm not sure there's ever been a more cautious child. 

We ran into some friends and I was sure that Kohen was going to be our saving grace.  Unfortunately Kohen proved to be pretty cautious himself and the two were quite a pair.  They did work up enough nerve to go in this crazy house...

...but not without their dads...

Then alas, they threw caution to the wind and rode this thrilling ride.  They were both so happy...

It was short lived and we didn't get Miles on another ride.  I even offered to go down the slide with him and he wouldn't have it.  He loved spending more money to play the games though.  That was the best part but you can go broke on those things in a hurry.

Once he decided he wasn't doing anything else, we bought a funnel cake & some cotton candy and called it a night.  And there you have the $50 funnel cake.

Wordless Wednesday

Swimming Lessons

Miles has been doing a really good swimming this summer.  He loved swimming on vacation.  I was very hopeful that swimming lessons through daycare would be helpful this year.  He seemed old enough to make some progress....and that he did.  On the last day, we went to watch him & see what he had learned.  He told us a few times that he was swimming in the deep end and jumping off the diving board.  I thought he was making it up but he wasn't.  The teachers did a great job with all the kids.  I'm so thankful that the offer this for two weeks every summer.

He was so happy to have us there.  He couldn't take his eyes off of us...

Miles & his friends kicking their feet at the beginning....

This is my favorite picture from swimming lessons...

Learning to float.  He practiced it in the bath tub during the week.  He would tell me that he was "relaxing"...

His turn to jump off the side...still looking around for us...

All the kids jumped off one by one.  When Miles jumped off he yelled "canon ball".  Everyone had a good laugh.

Miles & Avery.  Neither of them wanted to jump off of the diving board so they hung out on the side while the others jumped.  He jumped off the day before but it must have scared him.  It's pretty high, so I'm surprised he even did it once.

Miles & Amelia.  He says he's going to marry this cutie & live next door to us.  Fine by me.  He also says that they are going to have two sons and one is going to be named Elvis.  One thing is for sure, their two sons would have beautiful blue eyes.

Going under for diving rings....

Miles & Cambry...

Miles & Alex have been best friends since they were babies.  This story, from three years ago, was about these two.

The day after swimming lessons were over, Miles asked if he had to go that day.  I said no & explained that they were over.  He said, "Good.  I don't have to get in that freezing water."  That's my child.  I'm a big baby about cold water....or really any water that doesn't feel like bath water.  I just can't do it.  Another year of swimming lessons is in the books.  I'd call it a success.

Weekend Wrap Up

Darrin informed me that it was time to get back to blogging.  Probably a good idea b/c if I continue on this break, I may never start back.  I really enjoy the record for our family.  I used to actually enjoy blogging itself, but right now, I can't say that.  That's how it goes with blogging...sometimes it's fun and sometimes it's a chore.  So, I'm going to push through this funk until it's fun again.

Miles spent the last several days at my mom's house.  He had a great time.  Darrin & I missed him like crazy but it was also nice to have a break from baths, snacks, bed time, kid shows, etc.  Apparently he practiced a little hoarding while he was at her house.  He kept finding things and asking if he could take them home.  When Marmee agreed, he would put them in his suitcase immediately b/c he didn't want to forget them....

He took a teddy bear from our house to sleep with but he was so afraid that he would forget it, that he never got it out of his suitcase.  I met my mom half way today to pick him up.  While we were transferring his stuff to my mom he realized his worst fear had come true.  He forgot the other teddy bear that she had given him.  He had a complete meltdown.  It was so sad to watch him cry knowing that his careful little plan had failed him.  He totally gets that from me, so I could relate.

In other news, Darrin started preseason yesterday.  We had the girls over for dinner last night.  I literally cooked all day which was exhausting but fun.  I love to cook when I have nothing else to do, which was my yesterday.  We had poppy seed chicken, roasted broccoli, pineapple casserole, Dorito salad, rolls & strawberry butter, fruit salad, and caramel pie.  Most of the girls are from the north.  None of them had ever eaten poppy seed chicken before coming to Martin.  They love it now.  I got to introduce them to caramel pie last night too.  So deprived!  We are looking forward to a great season.  Loving this team picture...

We are off to watch the team practice for a little while this afternoon.  Hopefully I'm back to blogging now!