Teagan turns 9!

Teagan as a baby


So this is the second time around I've seen one of my babies turn 9 ! As always, bittersweet, and also in awe of how much they change in just a year! More handsome, more mature, more responsible, more...well, maybe I'm just dreaming, but hopefully they are moving in this direction, somewhat :)

As a family we always do a special birthday dinner for each child and let them choose what they want to eat. Then we alternate every year with having a party and home with as many friends as they want, and the following year they get to choose a party place to go to and take just a few friends, like bowling, skating, etc.

So this year Teagan was having a home party and invited 19 friends! Yes that's right, 19! As a parent you question the validity of them actually having 19 friends that are close enough to be considered 'friends'...then you also have to assume that they are thinking in terms of 'presents' and are hoping for as many as one can possible accumulate :)

Teagan is somewhat of a new years baby as he was born on January 2nd...it's always a balance for me to make sure we get the details and goings on established for his birthday party beFORE Christmas because it comes up so quick with the holidays being so close together and close to HIS birthday. So he decided to take the initiative this year and pass out his invitations to his friends at school before they got out for Christmas break, so that made it WAY easier on me this year instead of having to drive around and drop off invitations to 19 homes, yikes! So I am grateful he is old enough to be doing that kind of stuff himself now.

He got a new parka and snowpants, belts and an NBA jams video game for the XBox from his parents and the game connect 4.





He chose to eat ribs, chicken alfredo with noodles, and cauliflower for his dinner. How proud can I say that I am he actually chose to have a veggie as part of his meal?? I'm sure he knew I'd make him pick one anyway, so he saved himself the trouble by including one in there already :)

Teagan's birthday dinner




Homemade cake compliments of chef Jamie :)
White cake with a cream cheese frosting and marionberry spread mixture in the middle, yummm....




Teagan making a wish~ hope it comes true!



Teagan and his brothers



THE FRIENDS ARRIVE!!!
So I guess I didn't think as many of Teagan's invites would make an appearance given the long break inbetween him sending out his invitations and the actual party, but as you can see below, plenty of them did! It was a lot of fun and I think Teagan felt loved and special on his birthday.




The kids had pizza and soda, the typical junk you serve at a birthday party for lots of kids! Then later on, an ice cream cake.





We did a pinata by inserting a metal hook into a beam in the ceiling downstairs in the family room...our choices are limited when your son wants a pinata for his party and you are in the dead of winter, not to mention any trees large enough to hold one, LOL! So this was the best we could do and it worked out fine.

Teagan having a swing at it...


Weston and the winning swing! Out comes the candy, what a shot!



Video game competitions



A little bit of pool...




Teagan and his cousin, Raynee :)


Teagan and his gramma :)


Teagan and his 2nd birthday cake! An ice cream cake from Maggie Moo's :)



AND FOR THE FINALE...THE PICTURE OF THE YEAR!!!
Payton let the balloons go and up, up, up they went onto our ridiculously tall ceilings! How do you get them down? According to Jason, you throw the baby up in the air and let him catch them and pull them down! LOL...I had to post this, it's such an incredible shot...he was really playing "up in the air" with Payton, but the angle makes it look like Payton is floating away after the balloons and Jason is saying, "come back down Payton, you're going to fly away!" Hahahaha :D