Grayson's "REAL" Number 5 Birthday Weekend

So, it's been all birthday around here this month!!  Three weeks after Grayson's early birthday party, it was his actual birthday.  I was a little bit worried when we scheduled his party so early, that he might think he's having two birthdays and turning 6 now, or want another party on his real birthday... so I made sure to explain carefully in advance, showing him a calendar and everything.  And it turned out he totally understood what was happening.  Once his party was over, he started counting down to his "real number 5 birthday", as he referred to it.  And if someone asked how old he was, he would reply "I'm just 4, but I already had my number 5 party, and I'll be 5 on my real number 5 birthday!"  

So, after counting down, the day was finally here!  We surprised him with a roomful of balloons to wake up too.  I woke up early and sat out in the hall watching him sleep and waiting for his reaction.  My favorite part was that after seeing the balloons & exclaiming over them, he waded through the balloons to give me a hug before actually playing in the balloons. 

After breakfast, we were off to the park for a birthday playdate and some absolutely beautiful weather.  And of course, sugar always greatly improves a birthday playdate, so we brought these along...

I'm really loving the pictures from the park.  Grayson had a fantastic time playing with his friends.

 

 

When we left the park, Harrison was totally worn out!

So while our sweet baby was catching some Zzzzs, Grayson put a show for me...

...and asked to see what was in the next resurrection egg (I was still trying to advent-calendar-style resurrection eggs!)...

Harrison joined us for some birthday pictures by the spring flowers in our yard.

 

Gracie Lou was a little upset with us for not letting her out of the backyard while I took Grayson's birthday pictures, and Harrison was very sympathetic to her!!

Grayson was soooo excited when it was finally time for Daddy to get home from work!!

We took one more birthday picture...

Then brought out his birthday gifts!!

He was very excited about his first bicycle!

 

Also excited about the scooter from Grandma & Grandpa!

He had a blast opening gifts, of course...

 

I loved that Harrison didn't seem to feel left out or anything... he was super excited for Grayson, and kept picking the next gift for Grayson to open and bringing it to him, etc.  He was very involved & interested, but never upset.  They really are best friends!

The only thing Grayson needed any help with was reading his cards! 

This is the gift that was "from" Harrison... that piano keyboard gift bag actually played notes if you pressed on the keys!  The bag was as fun as the gift!

The card Harrison picked out for Grayson! 

Grayson's been playing police officer lately, so we thought he'd like this little costume... He immediately put everything on and handcuffed his brother!!

 

 

Once he got all his gifts opened, we headed outside so he could really try out his new wheels!  He was not ready to take off that police uniform though!

 

For his birthday supper, Grayson asked for Campbell's tomato soup and toasted cheese sandwiches.  Doesn't get much easier than that, so Mommy was thankful for that request!!!

I made a number 5 cupcake cake for his real birthday.  Learned my lesson, don't try to write on cupcake cakes.

 

 

That wraps his actual birthday!  Thankfully for me, his birthday was not as emotional as anticipating it.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching him enjoy his 5th birthday!  So proud of our big boy!  

His birthday was on a Friday, so I'm including a few pictures from the weekend afterwards too, while he was continuing to check out all his new toys.  

He started off with putting new a new Lego set, all by himself. 

Grayson had built that Lego all by himself AND played with his new tools before Harrison even got out of bed Saturday morning!!  Harrison loves him some sleep!!  (Also loves his "geen bankit" that Grandma made him...he's starting to remind me of Linus from Peanuts!)

It was another beautiful day Saturday, which of course meant lots of time on his new bicycle!

He drove it into the ditch for the first time, somehow didn't actual fall though, and he found the whole experience hilarious!

There were lots of races in the driveway!!

Daddy even pulled out Mommy & Daddy's bikes and the bike trailer for Harrison...

So we could take our first family bike ride!  Grayson was sooooo cute pedaling down the road... I kept thinking "I was so sad because he was about to turn 5, but this little 5 year old boy riding his first bicycle down our street is SOOOOO cute, he might even be cuter than the baby version of himself and that's saying something!!"

He climbed in the trailer to lend a hand keeping Harrison hydrated!!

After the bike ride, everyone needed popsicles...

...and a break from the sun!!

 

And Grayson had one last batch of gifts to open, all the way from family in North Carolina... Harrison had a couple this time too.  He thoroughly enjoyed ripping into this last round of 5th birthday gifts!

And that's a wrap... ha!  I know, not funny. :)