Jaxon turns 5

If ya'll know me at all, you know that I love festivities. And above all festivities, I love birthdays. I remember as a kid pouring dreamily over a book my mom had about kid theme parties. I was changed forever. I will find a good reason to have a theme party...anyday.  So, when strep and pneumonia thwarted Jaxon's Wild Kratt themed birthday, it was I who was the most devastated by it. 

I'm not even kidding, I was hoping this cute blonde haired boy would have a perfect fifth birthday. We weren't going over the top, just invited cousins this year and had a few themed snacks (because I simply cannot resist) and playing on the playground. But the birthday boy slept through the whole party. He slept through the foam craft animal frame craft, the animal masks and snacks. He rode on kyle shoulders as he took the kids on the "creature trail hike" ...asleep. He slept through presents and cake. 

But the next morning after sleeping for almost 17 hours, he woke up and walked downstairs and said, "where are the presents I got at my birthday party?", to which I responded, " do you even remember your birthday party?" 

The thing is, sometimes us mom's want things to be perfect. We have these gosh darn expectations that every flipping thing needs to be Martha Stewart or Pinterest worthy, when the kid could care less. Jax loved his birthday. Not because I made a Tortuga cake or "Kratt" everything but because it was HIS birthday. His cousins spent several days with us (because my sister is awesome and a great sport about surprise! Germs) and he turned 5. And that is literally all the boy cares about. 

So, I learned a good lesson from this. I'm not saying no more theme parties, and I'm not saying I loved birthdays less. But maybe from now on I ended to find better ways to celebrate the person, instead of the party. I need to celebrate God's design in their life more than I celebrate my theme. And I know I'm over thinking that, but let's based honest...that's what I do.

So, turning 5 was not quite what we had planned. But then again, nothing with Jax has been. :) So here's to life with a 5 year old and maybe it be greater than our expectations.