Conor's 8th Birthday

On Tuesday, our little guy went to bed as a 7-year-old and on Wednesday, he woke up as an 8-year-old. Actually, if you ask him, he was still 7 when he woke up because it was before 6:13, which is the time he was born. (OK then, Mr. Specific!)

 A couple of weeks before his birthday, Conor decided that he wanted to bring lemon meringue pie cookies to school for his classroom celebration. (I can't imagine too many 2nd grade birthdays have involved lemon curd and a kitchen torched meringue! You do you, kiddo! Love your culinary prowess!) He also chose pasta carbonara for dinner and grasshopper pie for dessert. (Cousin Robert is very proud of Conor for these choices!)

The birthday celebrations started last weekend when we went up to Whidbey to celebrate the Bestefar, Eric, and Conor's birthdays. This is an annual tradition and one we always look forward to. Eric's sister and brother-in-law were supposed to join us there, but the pass got hammered with snow, making it unsafe for them to make the trek from Eastern WA. 

Conor had a great day at school and as soon as he got home, asked if he could open presents. Ummm.... not so much, buddy. AFTER dinner, we had our family celebration, which included his grasshopper pie (Auntie Suzanne's amazing recipe) and presents. It was yet another reminder of how generous and creative our family members are. (Thank you note will be mailed soon, but in the mean time... THANK YOU!)

Conor's 8-year-old Interview

Favorite TV show: Wild Kratts

Favorite thing about school: PE

Thing you do best: Running

Favorite color: Tangerine

Favorite toy: Spot 1 (DUH)

Future career goal: Professional racer (runner)

Favorite toys to take to bed at night: Spot 1, Spot 2, Spot 3, Spot 4, Hug-a-Bear

Favorite book: The Book with No Pictures

Favorite song: The Leader

Favorite cereal: Cap'n Crunch Oops All Berries

Favorite movie: Star Wars the Force Awakens

Favorite season of the year: Spring

Favorite food: Carbonara

Favorite animal: Ocelot

Favorite ice cream flavor: Mint chocolate chip

Favorite sport: Foot racing

Best friend: Theodore Jack Thomas

Favorite holiday: Easter

Dream vacation spot: Hawaii

If you had $1000 to spend: I'd buy a house made of Pokémon cards

If you had a wish: I'd take care of my family well

What do you like to do with your friends: Play pretend

What do you want to do before your next birthday: Play with my new catapult game

Favorite thing done as a 7-year-old: First Communion

Conor's 4th Birthday

It's official! Conor is a big 4-year-old!!

This year's birthday was quite an event and the celebrated wound up spanning a few days.

The day before his birthday, Conor's birthday was celebrated in his classroom. His teachers made him a crown, he got to walk around his class four times during circle time, and instead of bringing in treats, his teacher read a copy of one of his favorite books "Good Night, Good Night, Construction Site" that we donated to his class. He loved every moment of it!

On Conor's actual birthday, we packed up our gear and headed up to Whidbey Island for a weekend of celebrations galore. Not everyone knows this, but Conor was born on Eric's parents' anniversary, the day before Eric's birthday, and three days after Eric's dad's birthday. How cool is that?!?! This year, Conor's birthday fell on my in-law's 50th anniversary, which just about everyone on Earth would agree is a really big deal. Because of the next day's anniversary party, Eric's siblings and their families also came to Bestmor and Bestefar's house for the weekend of celebrations. It was the first time we've all been together at the house and it was such fun!!

On Friday after dinner, we had a little birthday celebration for the three birthday boys. Conor LOVED every moment of the evening ... especially when he was given the green light to open his presents. He received a stuffed dinosaur and a stomp rocket from Uncle John, Auntie Wendy, Erin, and Piper, a foam dinosaur kit and a stomp rocket from Auntie Kajsa and Uncle Jeff, AND roller skates from Bestemor and Bestefar. We have a very generous family and a family who knows the definition of fun presents!

As soon as Conor's skates were unwrapped, he and Annika were outside skating up and down the driveway. That is ... until Annika switched Conor's skates from "locked" to "free skate." Mama swooped in and re-locked them so Conor could actually stand up on them! Annika wanted Conor to learn how to skate like her, and knew having locked wheels wouldn't allow him to do that "just like her." Learning curve? What's a learning curve?

The stomp rockets (so glad he received two, so both kids were able to play outside with them) were a HIT! Of course, we had to wait until a break in the weather so the kids could actually go outside, but the opportunity did (eventually) arise. Whoever designed that toy really had kids in mind. They had a blast setting up the rocket stands (thank God we have engineers in the family ... Eric and John were instrumental in that part of the project), jumping onto the launch pads, and then watching the nerf rockets fly into the air.

Good thing Conor has a card helper!

Dinosaur kit

Woo hoo! Stomp rocket!

"What's inside? What could it be?"

"Here, Conor. Let me help you!"

"It's a dinosaur!!!"

"Roar! My dinosaur is eating Bestefar's birthday card!"

Thank you hug for Bestemor

Thank you hug for Bestefar

Thank you hug for Auntie Kaj

Thank you hug for Uncle Jeff

"WHOA! Another stomp rocket!!"

Eric opening his birthday cards

John and Jack playing with Jack's magnet "toy"

Auntie Kaj reading a card to Conor

Stomp rockets are the best thing EVER!!!!