Boy Howdy Turns 6

Boy Howdy and his sister talk about who they are going to invite to their birthday parties ALL YEAR LONG. They are constantly meeting children at the park and inviting them to their birthday parties. I don't think much of it, or maybe I try to block it out because I am really lazy when it comes to planning. 

At one point, I did ask Boy Howdy what he wanted to do for his birthday. He said he was having a camping birthday party (meaning he was going on a father-son campout). I totally thought I was off the hook, until he had a friend over one afternoon the week before his birthday and was given the idea of having a soccer or Pokemon themed party. Whoa whoa whoa child. You can't pull this on me with so little time. Thankfully he relented quickly and happily when I told him we didn't have enough time to plan a party but he could have two friends over for a playdate. He opted to invite two boys from school, one of whom used to bully him but turned into a friend (maybe through Boy Howdy's light the world efforts). 

The Sunday before his birthday, he begged to be able to open his presents on Memorial Day, the day before his birthday. He reasoned that this would give him time to be able to open his presents - good rationale child. I told him he could . . . but he had to earn it. He had to be nice the rest of the day, sing two songs in Primary (he HATES singing time), and do two nice things for his sister. He performed the latter two requirements happily, but couldn't quite master being nice for the rest of the day. To make up for his poor choices, he did two more nice things for his sister. He paid her compliments, made her bed, did her dinner chores and gave her a Pokemon card. Ok, I'll allow it.

Monday he opened all of his presents: Pokemon cards he bought with the money from Grandparents Booren, Legos from Grandparents Marler, a new game from his sister, a globe, new bike, and more money from his Aunt Nickie. He was one happy boy.

Afterwards we went to our ward Memorial Day BBQ where he managed to lose one of his new Pokemon cards. Later, we made his cake and had the Jones over for dinner. Somehow between the two families we managed to cobble together a very cohesive and very yummy dinner complete with the sugar explosion that was his cake.

I love this Boy Howdy of mine. In the last year he has learned to read and write, play soccer (via recess), do math, and masterfully negotiate. He likes to squeal and squawk and just overall be odd and silly. When he gets excited, his enthusiasm knows no bounds. He is branching out with his independence as he becomes more capable of doing things on his own, but he is still my very sweet boy who loves to sing songs and cuddle at bedtime, just the two of us. He also LOVES doing ANYTHING with his pops. He just wants time with us and I am so thankful that this is still the case.