While I'm Waiting on Him: [ happy 6TH birthday ]

My little Tanner turned 6 today! I can't believe it's been six years since our 'surprise' was born. I remember Eric saying he'd be going to football games on the OATS bus (which is senior citizen transportation in our town). Now he just looks forward to going to the games, no matter how he gets there. Yes, our Tanner is a football fanatic. All he wanted for his birthday was a "Chiefs helmet, and a Chiefs shirt, and Chiefs football pants, and Chiefs shoulder pads, and one of those chin things for his helmet and a thing to put in his mouth to keep his teeth in." "Oh yeah, and a Chiefs football." He found this cute little hat at Wal Mart the other day and I couldn't resist buying it. It looks like a vintage leather helmet they used to wear to play football. He loves it and wears it everywhere now. He actually slept in this morning and just about the time we were going to run in his room to surprise him and say Happy Birthday, he came running into the living room and said, "It's my Birfday!" So we tackled him and threw him on the couch for a ticklefest and his birthday spankings. :)

He made himself a sign for his 'party' which we didn't actually invite anyone. Our family is on vacation out of town, his sister actually took off this morning to a Mizzou game with the FCA group from school (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), so it was just me, daddy and the boys today. Tanner's sign says "Tanner Lynch is having birthday party! 6 yrs old" (except with a few more spelling errors I think. ;) lol He may be daddy's boy, but it's always mommy he draws in his pictures of himself.

He of course informed us he was ready for his presents. Where were they? (No....he's not spoiled at all.) Being the mother-of-the-year that I am his gift was of course wrapped in the finest paper and matching ribbon with a giant card personalized just for Tanner. NOT... what dream was that from? He was made to close his eyes for his surprise and Dad brought out the present from the closet. Okay, so I'm a slacker this year. Did I mention we've all been sick? It won't be the wrapping paper he remember anyway.... it was that look on his face when he saw that BIG RED helmet that will be remembered.

A real CHIEFS UNIFORM! Helmet, jersey and pants. It came with iron-on numbers so he could choose his jersey number. Which of course he and dad had to look on the internet to see just who he wanted to be. #7... Matt Castle. I think his college stats cinched it for Tanner. All he heard was how many touchdowns and received passes and he said, "Yeah, yeah, that's the one. How many touchdowns did I make dad? Yeah, him." So, of course we had to have a 'Heisman pose'.....this was as good as we could do before he lost his balance. ;) lol

After playing tackle with the dog for a while we all decided we needed to have breakfast out today. We all got ready and headed to Jamesport for a home-cooked breakfast. :) I was taking pictures over my shoulder in the car of the boys in the backseat. I didn't think they knew what I was doing because I wasn't turned around. I would turn the camera around and just click hoping I got what I wanted. Someone caught on to me, and this is what I saw when I brought my camera back around to look.... I busted out laughing. "GOTCHA mom!" The kids used to be embarrassed by my need to pack my camera everywhere. I think they've conformed finally.

Tyler decided he wanted to take a picture too (my budding photographer to be). So daddy and I stood in front of the restaurant for a quick pic before going inside. (photojournalism right?) Sunny, squinting our eyes, want to fill our guts look....

We always have tons of pictures of everybody with daddy, but mom never gets to be in the picture. Tyler is learning and loves to shoot, so today I actually let him touch my camera. :) It was worth it to have pictures of me and my birthday boy. Waiting on our breakfast. Tanner had a pancake of course the size of his plate and almost finished the whole thing.

After breakfast we had to go to the grocery store to pick up the cake. Tanner had no idea that dad had already ordered it. He wanted to show me which one he wanted and ask me to buy the toys to go on top and he wanted to go home so mom could make his cake for him. While Tyler distracted him and helped him search the book so he could show him what he wanted, dad was asking the bakery lady for his pre-ordered masterpiece. :) Just what Tanner had shown him 4 days earlier. This one bubby.... this one right here...

As dad turned around and said.... like this? He was so surprised. Eric had him read the top and of course he can't read yet, but he can certainly make out his name when it's written somewhere. That cake says Tanner! lol Yep.... sure does. He was surprised and loved it. (I think he forgot all about wanting mom to make it.)

Of course he had to pick out just the right candle to go on top. You can't have a birthday without blowing out a birthday candle. We convinced him he just needed a six.... not a 5 and a 1. Which is what he wanted. A 5 for how old he was and add 1 mom. That's how old I am now. But we managed to settle on a 6.

We finally got to head back home and none of us were hungry (even Tanner I'm sure), but he wanted to eat cake! So, of course we had to party. ;-) I don't know what he wished for but I have a feeling it was probably more football stuff. That, or to play football. He's very upset over the fact that they don't have football leagues in our town for kids his age. He's ready to move anywhere they have football. And I know dad is just smitten with it all.

Crazy kid... his cake had nothing to do with football either. His second favorite love.... skateboards. You couldn't convince him to have football on his cake. We even offered to bribe the boy with money.... he just wanted those skateboards. Go figure....