Thursday, October 16, 2008

Taylor's Birthday With LOTS of Pictures!

So it was Taylor's birthday last Sunday.  We celebrated.  He turned five!  I can't believe he's five year old.  In Tucson, Arizona, five years ago, also on a Sunday I was still 4 1/2 weeks from my due date.  Went to church after having strange, uneven contractions all night but feeling fine.  Then all throughout church the contractions were more evenly timed, they went from 5 minutes apart, to 3, to well, LABOR!  I never felt like the contractions were really strong and unbearable, so I kept telling myself and others that it still just must be false labor.  I kept convincing everyone I talked to at church that it couldn't have been real labor--4 1/2 weeks early.  I was convinced that after we got home, I'd just call my doctor and he'd reason me through it being false labor.   During the last hour of church, I sat through a meeting with the young women ages 12-13 and quietly had contractions that were probably barely 1 minute apart.  They were stronger now, but do you think I did anything?  No.  I just quietly breathed through it.  After that hour, I quickly went and found Kevin, told him that I thought we'd better GO!  So get this, I was pretty sure I was in labor now and we still drove the kids 20 minutes home to drop them off at some neighbors, then drove the 20 minutes back to the hospital.  I was breathing heavy through some very fast coming contractions, while Kevin sped through town yelling at "dumb" drivers.  Kevin was just SO sure I was going to give birth in the car, but I kept convincing him that I wouldn't.  (Although, I was really holding that baby in!) 

We made it to the hospital and Kevin parked in the emergency parking and ran to get me a wheelchair.  He took FOREVER getting back.  I swear it was like 10 minutes.  I had just started to get out of the car and walk in to the hospital myself when he finally came running over with a wheelchair, telling me that they couldn't find one in the ER.  Hello, you're an emergency room in a hospital--have some wheelchairs around people!  Anyway, longer story short, we got in there, I was dilated to a 9 while the nurses were frantically prepping me for labor.  I was trying to convince them that I did NOT care if the doctor was there for the delivery and they just kept trying to get me to wait and not push.  The doctor got there just in time and was trying to get his gown and booties on (again, I did NOT care about his precious clothes being protected).  I think our sweet little 6 pound Taylor Christian came out in just a few pushes with his little face in the wrong direction, which caused some good bruising all over his head and face. (And let me just say, Parker, our 7 year old was 9 lbs. 2 oz. and also came super fast with no time for drugs and I say 9 lbs, 6 lbs, it all hurt just the same to me!) 

I was so in shock that we had just had another baby and I was SO not prepared for him to be with us so soon, but I did not mind at all missing that last month of pregnancy!  Okay, okay, enough of that, back to the present--or as Taylor would want it, back to the presents! 

Weeks before his birthday, I'd kept asking him what he'd like to do for a party with friends.  All he would ever say is that he wanted to go play at a park with Joey and Aidan.  That's it.  Wow, if only all birthday parties were that simple.  So on Saturday we went to a park and played with his two friends, had cupcakes and goodie bags and called it good.  Thank you, Taylor, for such a wonderful, simple party idea!

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Nope, that's not Taylor, that's Joey.  Taylor is the one hiding his face with his hand--which is does every time I point the camera in his directions!

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There, gotcha Taylor!  There's Aidan passed out in the background.  I'm not sure what they were playing.

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Having some goodies.  It was a gorgeous, sunny day, so in all the pictures, the guys are squinting.

On Sunday, we made doughnuts for breakfast.  The kids love dunking them in chocolate icing and adding sprinkles galore.  See Taylor?  Hiding again.  Stinker!

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Later in the day I made a quick Crazy Cake and frosted it.  Taylor then got to decorate it with any and all sprinkles and toppings I had.  He really wanted some of those hard sugar candy decorations that you peel off that cardboard paper and some of the paper usually stick.  All I had was some old Valentine hearts.  He insisted that they were on the cake.  The cake looked great and I (obviously) didn't help at all.  Taylor really enjoyed doing it and having all say in what went on top.

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Hey, got a good picture of T here!

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The finished cake.  It's hard to tell, but there are some little gingerbread men sprinkles, Christmas trees, snow, Valentine hearts and some orange and black Halloween sprinkles.  Fun!

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We made pizza for dinner.  Everyone got to make their own.  I'd been asking Taylor (the world's pickiest eater right now), if he could have anything in the world for dinner what he'd like to have and he said, "nothing."  I convinced him that we'd need to eat dinner that night and would he like it if we made pizza where everyone could make their own.  He replied, "Yes, let's make pizza.  I want to make one.  But I'm not going to eat it."  I didn't take any photos, but we did all make our own pizzas. (A tradition that was often the birthday dinner at my house growing up.)  I think Taylor may have actually taken a few bites of his!

We then opened presents.  Look at this stack!  Lucky!  Really, for months I'd been buying things on clearance (love Target!) that I'd thought Taylor would like and that would keep him busy while the boys are still at school and Sam is napping.  I did well and Taylor loves all his gifts.

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Sorry about so many pictures.  I just love all these cute pictures of Taylor.

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Whew!  Time for cake!  Thinking over the list of wishes.

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I actually missed the blowing-out-the-candle picture, so Taylor actually posed for this one.

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All the talk about the cake and they HAD to have ice cream with it and here's what it came down to--Taylor's bowl on the left--he didn't want any!  None.  This was his birthday.  No pizza, no cake either.  How does this kid survive?  Parker's bowl in the middle.  He's all talk about what and how much he can eat.  He wants to be able to eat as much as Scott, but never does.  He at the ice cream, but not the cake.  Scott ate most of his.  Then there's my Sammie.

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He sat there long after the boys had finished and ate every drop that was in his bowl.  There's my boy!  ;)

Happy Birthday, 5 year old, T!  We love you!

I found this cute candy kit and thought the boys would like it.  It was $10 for the candy and molds.  You have to buy your own pretzels.  I still thought it was a good deal as I now have the molds to keep.  I really like white chocolate and pretzels and these were good.  But I managed to just take a nibble of one.  The boys loved them.

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Okay, okay, enough pictures already!  I'm exhausted, gotta go night-night.  (Are you happy now, Mom?!)

12 comments:

Pamela said...

Happy Birthday, Taylor! Love the post. I enjoy reading the stories people put up about their families, so thanks for sharing. I must say that you got some great things on clearance at Target! Love that place. I have a few things in the closet for Christmas from there. It's hard though, because the boys are always with me!
It's so funny how he helped make the cake and the pizza, but really didn't want much of anything. Isn't it something how they can manage to keep going on practically nothing? Little Sammy eats like Christian! He wants it all and he will take his time in getting there.
You did get some nice pictures of Taylor. He has gorgeous eyes. But truly, all your boys are GORGEOUS!

Granny Jacque said...

Thanks for the pictures of the party! We feel almost like we were there, except for the noise! Love you....MOM and DAD

alexandra's kitchen said...

Oh my gosh! so cute. love the pictures of your fam. and I am so intrigued by your hard-boiled egg cookie

Deb said...

What a fun birthday. I love the pictures of all the boys.

Brooke said...

Aw, great pictures! Happy birthday to Taylor!

Anne Marie said...

Happy Birthday to your cute 5-year-old! Looks like a perfect celebration. Crazy birth story. Can't believe how fast you labored.

Darius T. Williams said...

Ahhh - to be a kid again!

-DTW
www.everydaycookin.blosgpot.com

Clumbsy Cookie said...

I found the gingerbread cake sprinkler!!!!! Finally a picture with the 4 of them! I was starting to think you were on of thosemothers with imaginary children, ahahahah! Your kids look very happy and funny! can Ihave that ice cream play dough thingy for my b'day? I actually had one when I was little that was very similar, but with hamburguers. I loved it!
Loved reading to your labor story, you're a champ!

familywithfivekids said...

Love the birth story - wow! It looks like the playmobile was a huge hit with all your boys from the smiles on their faces! I love the pretzel molds - very cute.

Anonymous said...

That looks like a HAPPY birthday indeed. And with loooooooads of gifts...
The cake looks delicious and the halloween candies are so cool! Wish I could buy one of those kits here in Chile ...
Anyway, great post. and Happy birthday Taylor!

test it comm said...

Looks like the party was a lot of fun.

Lisa magicsprinkles said...

Love the birthday cake and all the pics of your little men. Happy B'day Taylor!