The Birthday

While Cooper had been anxiously anticipating his birthday party, Karl and I had been anxiously anticipating his actual birthday!  We decided months and months ago (probably around the same time Coop decided on his party) that we would get him a bike for his birthday.  He loves his Gator and has a big wheel/tricycle thing, but every boy needs a bike.  For a few weeks before his birthday, we'd tease him and tell him we got him something really cool, really fun, and for really big boys for his birthday.  He'd beg us to tell him, and we just kept on teasing!  We couldn't wait to give it to him, and we loved how excited he was getting about this special present!  The morning of his birthday, we'd set it outside on the sidewalk.  When he groggily strolled out of his room with his bed head and half-open eyes, he immediately asked where his present was.  I told him to close his eyes, and Karl led him outside.  You could tell as soon as he saw it, he was so proud!  He didn't get really outwardly excited, but you could tell he felt BIG and was pumped!  He rubbed his hand over it and looked at with a sweet little smile for a few minutes, and then hopped on and was off!  We didn't think about him not knowing how to brake because he rides our neighbor's bike a lot, and almost immediately he ran into Karl's truck and dented the bumper!  If you know Karl, you know he felt that bump as if someone punched him in the stomach!  He handled it well though and quickly taught Cooper how to brake!  

After a good morning ride, we went and got our traditional birthday donuts.  Coop wanted us to put a candle in one and sing to him.  He really likes being sung "Happy Birthday" to.  :)

(You can't see all four candles, but they were all there!)

Immediately after breakfast, we were back outside so he could ride his bike.  All day (and every day thereafter) he constantly asked to go ride.  Throughout the day, he would go out to the garage to "just look at the bicycle."  Our sweet neighbor saw him out riding that morning, and that afternoon she brought him a horn and a bell to go on it.  Wow, you talk about the cherry on top of a sundae!  Those two accessories just made this awesome gift a thousand times cooler!  Karl and I were so excited to see him so excited about his bike.  The pride in his eyes when he rides is so adorable!  We got hotdogs for lunch, went to the toy store so he could pick out his toy from Jake, took naps, and had a yummy dinner of chicken fingers, fried okra, and mac and cheese, per the birthday boy's request.  It wouldn't be a birthday if you didn't have a cake, so we had a special ninja turtle cake to end the day!

In non-birthday news, Jake decided to start crawling up the stairs this day!  Just like big brother being so proud of learning to ride that bike, he was so proud of being able to go up those stairs.  And just like big brother wanted to practice his new skill all day, so did this little one!

My boys are getting so adventurous and big!