Bennett’s Big Weekend

This weekend was all about Bennett, and Grandma Allen came in to town to be a part of all of it.

First, on Friday we had Bennett’s birthday party.  If the following pictures look somewhat familiar, that is because we did the exact same things this year that we did last year, just with a different theme.   Last year the theme was Firefighting, and this year the theme was  Where the Wild Things Are  (an idea I saw on the Internet and can take no credit for).  If I could describe the party with one word, it would be WILD.  But I think Bennett and the other kids had fun, which is what is important, right?

The house before the party:

party supplies

the cake

decorations

reading the book (including Bennett roaring his terrible roar)

Grandma and Mina ran “Musical Max” in the family room

while Sharla and I ran “Pin the Tail on Max” in the living room

Leading up to the party, Bennett had been very opposed to the idea of masks.  During the party, Bennett wouldn’t put his mask down.

After the games, it was time for the Wild Rumpus (or dance party).  I had a whole playlist of possible songs, but we only made it through the first song (Phil Collins’ “You Can’t Hurry Love”) due to the wild nature of the rumpus, and a slight injury of one of the party guests.  That song is only 2minutes and 48 seconds long.  It may have been the longest 2 plus minutes of my life. 

Grandma couldn’t help but get in on the dancing action!  Yeah, that is Rusty dancing on the sofa.

These kids had some pretty sweet moves.

Then it was time for the hot dinner we had advertised.

Then, after a failed attempt to sing to Bennett and blow out the candles outside. . . .

we went in the house to sing to Bennett.

then back outside to eat the cake (we did just get new carpet, you know).

Of course there was a pinata:

Bennett apparently misplaced his goodie bag, and just grabbed as much candy as he could with his hands.

Then we finished the party off with presents.  Bennett made off with lots of fun things that have kept him occupied this last week, for which I am grateful.  Bennett was introduced to the world of Legos.  We spent this afternoon putting together his first set.  He loved it.  I didn’t as much.  Putting it together was fine.  But there are just so many small little pieces, any of which are essential to the set as a whole, and could very easily be lost.  One more thing for me to stress about – keeping track of all of those teeny, tiny, pieces.  But Bennett really loved it.  In fact, I took him to Target today to pick out something with the money he got my from grandparents.  And he picked out another Lego set.  Sigh.

The whole group before we gave them back to their parents:

Cute group of kids, huh?  Reagan was absent from the party thanks to Becky, who kept Reagan for me.  I can’t even imagine what the party would have been like with her there.  She wasn’t around for Bennett’s party last year either.  I wonder how old she will have to be before I let her attend her siblings birthday parties.

 

Saturday was Bennett’s final preschool program and graduation ceremony.  These pictures should look familiar as well, since Ellery participated in an identical program last year.  Reading this blog must be getting pretty boring, since it is so monotonous. 

Bennett was one of the King’s men that attempted to put Humpty Dumpty together again.  He loved his costume that he got to wear, since it was armor and a sword.

Poor Humpty.

The whole group in their costumes.

After the program, they put on their graduation hats and got their diplomas.  Here is Bennett when we asked him to hold still so we could get his picture:

 

He can be a very silly little boy. 

Getting his diploma from Teacher Lori, and our cute little preschool graduate:

Pictures with his proud family:

(No Reagan.  We left her home with a babysitter.  Do you feel bad for her that she is missing out on so many things?  You shouldn’t.)

It was so nice of Grandma to come out for Bennett’s big weekend.

We love our sweet little boy so much.  Congratulations, Bennett, on turning 5 and on finishing preschool.