Cruz's 8th Birthday

This past Saturday (May 26) Cruz turned 8 years old.  He loves his birthday.  He talks about it all year long.  He gets so excited and it makes me be excited with him.  This year he chose a Lego man theme.  He is obsessed with Lego's these days. Here is a look at how we spent his special day.

I kept his decorations simple.  I drew Lego men faces on some plates and balloons and used the same primary colored streamers from our end of the school year celebration.  We celebrated the school year ending on Friday morning and then that afternoon I switched gears and got things ready for his birthday.  Having two celebrations back to back along with Ben's kindergarten graduation earlier in the week, two Bible studies, and finishing the school year nearly exhausted me.

 Cruz made a Lego napkin holder for the table and also a number 8. 

Cruz turns 8

This year for his cake I had showed him several ideas to choose from.  I was all set to attempt to make a Lego man cake and then at the last minute he changed it.  Instead he chose a Lego man pool party.  He wanted to be in on all of the cake making process this year.  In addition to helping me bake it he wanted to do most of the decorating himself.  I helped with the icing and then he placed all of the decorations on. 

We used M&M's to outline the pool (which is supposed to be in the shape of a #8).  We also used gummy rings as floating devices for his Lego men.  He added a palm tree and an alligator.

smiling as we sang to him

blowing out his candle

family photos for his birthday

Friday evening we had pizza, popcorn, and birthday cake while watching The Lego Movie.  Once they were in the bed I got things ready for his birthday morning. He got a new bicycle which David had picked up earlier on Friday and already had sitting in our dining room.  I added a few other things to it for him to open when he got up the next morning.

I made a Lego man to decorate his bedroom door.

and I covered his door with streamers.

Sleeping on his birthday eve.  When did he get so big?

birthday morning pancake breakfast

riding his new bike while we loaded the car for a day trip to a local water park

For the second year in a row he has chosen to spend his birthday at Valle Dorado.

ready for a day of fun in the sun

We all loved the waterslides. 

Cruz's favorite thing of all is the lazy river.  We spent much of the day just floating around.  It was so fun and relaxing.  Not only was this outing a good way to celebrate his birthday but also a great way to celebrate the end of another school year.

lunch at Valle Dorado waterpark

We spent the whole day there.  We arrived shortly after it opened and were some of the last ones to leave at closing time.  We thoroughly enjoyed the day!

a quick ice cream break before the drive back home

I am pretty certain he had a great birthday and we all enjoyed getting to celebrate it with him.  This particular one was probably the hardest one yet for me.  Something about him turning 8 just hit me hard.  It made me realize that I only have ten years left with him at home.  From the time he was born I have dreaded the day he will grow up and leave.  I think it drives me to make the moments count.  I exhaust myself sometimes but I know it's short. These are precious years. I want to make the most of them.  So here's to ten more birthdays, ten more Christmases, ten more last days of school, ten more everything before he leaves the nest.  Bring on the fun, but please let time slow down.