Bradley's Big Day!

The week before his party, we were experiencing pretty high temperatures for October and I really started getting my hopes up that we would be able to have a nice warm party at the Park for Brad this year. I should say that for most of his birthdays we have TRIED to have it at a park but it's at that tricky time of year where you can never really be sure if you'll get good weather or not. Which in Utah could be pretty much anytime. Well, we did it at the park but it wasn't exactly a "nice warm party". It worked though and I think Brad had a good time which is all that really matters to me. It was nice to have such a big turn out from family and friends. Thanks everyone that came and everyone that sent birthday wishes his way. He LOVES his birthdays!

Bradley chose Crepes for his birthday breakfast then Kelly insisted that he open the present she got him before she go to school.  Didn't have the camera out yet, but it was one of those little grabber things that they make for old people to be able to reach high things..... makes me laugh but he really has wanted one of those for a VERY long time.  They're right by the bathroom at Walmart so we really do play with them almost everytime we go to Walmart.  It was definitely on his wish list and Kelly delivered (with her very own money too!).  The morning got slow and Noah really wanted to let him open his present so being the weak mom that I am lately, I let him open it (we've always done so good at waiting until Daddy is home, but for some reason I couldn't do it this year).  Noah was cute helping him open the Match Box car that he picked out for Brad.

 

 and just as a sidenote, I over heard a conversation later on in the day about this car and I heard Brad say, "yeah, and Noah picked it out himself!" And then Kelly said, "That's COOL!!!  It's even cooler to know that he picked it out himself, that's what makes a present special!"  I just about died.

Then I gave in again and let Luke give him his present too.  Luke was pretty happy about the soccer ball he got him.  I think Brad liked it too :)

This isn't a very good picture, but I love that it's Luke skipping off to play with Brad and his new soccer ball :)  it makes me smile.

I had made most of Brad's cake the night before, but it did take a little work during the afternoon too.  It turned out pretty good I thought.  Brad had wanted a motorcycle cake and chose a pretty elaborate one made with fondant and had spikes coming out of the top tier..... luckily I found this one instead, and he seemed to like this one also.  He keeps talking about how he is going to have the other cake for his cake next year.  So I guess I better get crackin' and learn how to use fondant..... HA!!!!  jk.  Anyway, I liked making this one.  Brad went out with Grandpa Hatch before the party to get presents and a slurpee.  I think it's fun that my Dad does that with my kids.  They love it too of course.  And it gets them away to not be around during the crazy hurry-and-get-out-of-the-house time that I despise so much.

We all played on the playground for the first half of the party.  I was getting nervous the whole time because I didn't want it to get cold before we had the cake and ice cream.  We did discover that Erika can hold herself up on the monkey bars!  All by herself!!  Yeah, it's probably not something she do a lot of, but it was really fun~~  quite the entertaining feat.

Once most of the party guests were there, and the stress had eaten at me long enough, (sorry steve) we decided it was time to cut the cake!! 

Brad sure was funny opening his presents.  He was pretty calm about it all and didn't freak out everytime someone grabbed another one of his presents out of his hands.  I get a kick out of the whole, "what is it? huh. cool.  okay.  NEEEEEXT!"  He got some really fun big boy toys this year.  I think it's finally time to introduce our boys (and floor and vacuum and Erika's mouth) to Legos.  He has had a lot of fun with them.

And last but not least, Brad went over to Grandpa's car to get his new bike!!!!!  Nate and I decided he looked too big for his dinky little D.I. bike and that this would be a fun bike to finish learning to ride on.  He's getting so big!!!!  I'm glad it was a nice time though and that we all survived and had the WHOLE party at Rocket Park this year.