Wilson and Charlie are doing this new thing where they hold hands walking down the hall. They're also doing this new thing where they fight over toys and growl at each other, too... but I guess that's just the beauty of a sibling. Someone who will always be "home" to you. Even after your snarliest growls.
I don't know how long I'll be able to pull off this great gimmick, but this year these two shared a family birthday party in July- about a month after Charlie's birthday and a few days before Wilson's.
Well, these two and Grandan (Andrew's dad) who shares an actual birthday with Wilson. He was so kind to agree to an Oceanography theme and to drive all the way to Mississippi to spend yet another birthday with us.
When everyone gathered on at our house on Friday night, we had dinner together and then started the festivities with an Oceanographer Quiz. I gathered up 20 questions from Wilson's fish book library and can you even believe he won (by a landslide) with 16 out of 20 right.
If you really know him, I bet you could guess that. Actually, if you are the cashier at Target, I bet you could guess that, too. :)
On Saturday morning we had a yard-sale (What? I don't know either. Sometimes we do crazy things like that.) and then had everyone over for presents and pizza.
Wilson was so happy that one of his great-grandmothers, Mamu, could make the trip. She came bearing good things like remote-controlled cars and Wilson is all about the RC cars these days.
The grandmothers must have had this hilarious scheme planned, because they each got Charlie the nosiest noise makers, starting with a piano from my parents.
My little musician fell head over heels for his new instrument and it didn't take long before he went all Jerry Lee Lewis and got his feet in on the action.
Andrew's parents made their contribution with the popper. Charlie LOVES this thing. I'm pretty sure he thinks he's vacuuming when he pushes it around the living room, so how could I ever be mad at my little helper.
Sometimes it's hard living so far from both sides of the family. Our parents and grandparents and siblings all live in six different cities and none of them close enough to comfortably visit two in one trip. Every special event or holiday means we are traveling or being put in the humble position of asking people to travel... it's physically and emotionally exhausting to always be thinking about getting on the road or asking others to come to us. We have been so blessed by family on both sides who give us LOTS of grace to understand when we just can't pack another bag. And who don't even ask questions when we ask if they would pack theirs. We love you, family. Really, so very very grateful.
My parents got Wilson a pop-up tent and somehow everything is more fun in a tent.
And Charlie is ten times more hilarious. But he's hilarious anyway, so man that's some serious hilariousness.
Aunt Allie (Ah-la-la-la as now both of my boys have called her) was sweet to make the trip too and it's so hard for me to believe there was a time when she didn't have Eliza Jane, but here she is... just a couple weeks (or days?) before she was a Mama.
After presents, we had pizza and cake- because that's my 5-year-old's dream menu! Wilson and Grandan blew out their candles...
...but whoops! We forgot about little Charlie, so we re-lit and let him blow.
We had some happy boys.
After lunch, it was time for some outdoor activities and this is totally Baba's niche. Wilson said the word "volcano" and she was on it- with baking soda in one hand and a bottle of vinegar in the other.
Then time for some stomp rockets and bean bag tosses and lawn chair sitting and a bunch of nothings that meant everything to my two littlest men.
One and five are two really big numbers and celebrating them with people that we love so dearly and that so dearly love us was just what we needed.
Happy birthday, my precious darling sons. I hope you forever find reasons to celebrate with each other and with us and may home always be your favorite place to be.
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