The big 5!

Oh my, he's five folks!  What a day we had!  We got up early to make sure we got to wake Max up singing at the top of our lungs!

We had cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then Stephen had to head to work.  Max and I spent the morning doing fun things here at the house and then headed to lunch with dad!  We had lunch on campus with him (he works for Eastern Illinois University) which Max thinks is just the coolest place and then Max got a backstage tour of the football stadium from one of Stephen's friends who just so happens to be one of the coaches.  When we were walking in Max quietly asked "are we allowed to be here Mom ?!"  He got to go into the locker room and weight room and up into the victory suite.  He felt pretty important!

We had a Wii marathon in the afternoon (Max totally kicked my booty) and then Stephen cut out early from work to spend the evening with his boy.  Max picked his all time fave restaurant for his birthday dinner (Buffalo Wild Wings) so he could catch all the sports fun while he ate.

Then it was home for presents and cake and ice cream!!!  Max got to skype with Grandpa and Grandma while he opened his gifts from them and then he opened ours.

The bike is called a "co-pilot" and we're pretty excited about it.  Max is too big for a traditional children's bike seat or pull behind trailor, but he's not quite big enough to keep up with us on a long bike ride.  So this is the perfect solution!  He gets to "ride" his own bike but if he gets tired, he can stop pedaling and it doesn't affect Stephen's riding at all.  We're pumped to try it out!  The last picture is the present that Max is most excited about.  Of course.....it has to do with baseball!  Its a practice net for pitching and catching.  Perfect indoor/basement solution for a long winter without baseball!!!  Great idea dad!!

And then it was time for cake.  You guessed it...this year we went with a baseball theme!  Surprise, surprise!

It was SUCH a fun day!  Max kept saying "this is such a fun birthday guys!"  That makes a mama's heart glad!

I also wanted to post pictures from last week.  Max got a package in the mail all the way from Thailand, and to say he was excited would be a bit of an understatement :)  Max LOVES getting mail from Lek and Edmond, and Stephen and I LOVE that he gets to have such a special relationship with the two people that loved and cared for him so strongly for the three years before we were able to.  Lek and Edmond, you are amazing, and we are so blessed to have you in our lives!!!

Oh Max, I can't believe you're five!  You were supposed to stay little forever!  But, you are growing into an amazing young man and your dad and I are so proud!!!  Happy Birthday Max!!!