Happy Birthday Nate!

We had another birthday around here.    

It's hard to believe that this guy is 6!

He had a good day.  His birthday was on a Monday but the kids actually had the day off of school so that was nice for them.  I did have to work in the afternoon but Marsha stayed home with them.  The girls woke up early with me to make the cinnamon rolls he requested and decorate the house.  They actually did pretty much all of the decorating while I cooked so that was nice.  Then we woke him up for breakfast. 

The kids had a fun day doing pretty much whatever they wanted.  I worked on his cake that morning.  We were looking up ideas for what he wanted on his cake and he found a picture of the Gryffindor seal and he somehow settled on that.  So, it was a tricky one but I did my best.  I had a problem with not all of it freezing, unfortunately, but it was still OK:

Nate wanted to write his own name and did a great job.

We had his requested beef stroganoff with rice for dinner.  Then it was presents time!  I can't find any of those pictures right now and I'm really hoping they aren't lost.  I need to check Joe's phone later.

Nate got a few things he asked for including a new car tracks set, two new Elephant & Piggie books, a candy-gram (Natalie made him a really cute one, with some help from Elizabeth), and a green lightsaber.  Elizabeth picked out a few things from the dollar section at Target and made him a fun little treasure hunt.  Eli was supposed to give Nate the lightsaber but cried the whole night about it being his.  Poor guy.  It reminded me of this post when Elizabeth was 7 and Nate was the two year-old.  I can't believe that was 4 years ago!

In just these last few weeks since Nate started kindergarten it seems like he has grown up a lot.  Now he is talking about kids in his class that have crushes (he won't admit to one :).  It's kind of terrifying to me thinking of him growing up and liking girls.  He is still my sweet little boy, though.  He always gives me big hugs and kisses when the school bus comes to pick him up.  He still loves to snuggle up and read stories or just relax.  He still sucks his thumb and doesn't seem to want to ever quit.  We're going to need to work on that soon.  He is so sweet and always making things for people.  Just recently he made Joe and I these cute signs and hung them up above our bed (someday I'll actually hang something up there--these are great for now).  

Nate still really loves Star Wars.  We're all excited for the new movie to come out.  He really loves Super Mario Bros. too and is better than me now.  He and Joe have almost beat the new version we have, plus they've beaten all three old versions.  He loves to ride around the plasma cars with Eli outside.  He still loves all sports.  He doesn't complain about watching BYU football like the girls do.  In fact, he is out golfing with Joe right now (another of his birthday presents).  He loves climbing poles and is kind of a monkey.  He told me proudly one day that he is one of the only kindergarteners that can go across a hard monkey bars set at the school.  He loves Wild Kratts, Odd Squad, Sesame Street, and will still happily watch The Backyardigans with Eli (we all will :).  He is a great eater and very rarely throws a fit about eating something.  He loves yogurt, oatmeal, ham sandwiches, pretty much all fruit, peppers, and beef.   He loves to read with me but can get along pretty well by himself now.  He got a flier at school that said if he read 20 books a month he would get a free pan pizza from Pizza Hut every month and at the end of the year he would get a free pass to a local water park.  That was enough to convince him!  He kept asking and asking me to read books and he got it all filled in by yesterday--the 9th!  :)  Nate has the BEST laugh when he really gets laughing.  It cracks us all up.  He can be so silly and does some awesome silly dances.  He is a wonderful brothers to his siblings.

We sure love our Nate!