to Davyn at 5.

Most kids pass their birth dates with little visible change.  But you're not "most kids". We still refer to your first birthday as your "coming out party".  Our quiet boy turned on all kinds of personality that night, truly surprising us all.  We had never seen anything like it from you - the sweet Baby D who was content to sit back and cuddle his way through life.  Enthroned on your birthday gift (a baseball mit chair), you posessively ruled the roost.  With the intrinsic knowledge that it was Your Day.

This birthday felt the same to me.  Weeks before the big day, you were in countdown mode.  You knew 5 was a major milestone and made all sorts of mental rearrangements to match its magnitude.  "When I'm five you can't call me Tiny Elvis anymore.  That will be Azure's name instead"..."When I'm 5 I will really be big"..."When I'm 5 I will read chapter books". 

And it was all true.

Your party was much like the first birthday festivities.  A typically docile boy took center stage.  It was your day and you knew it. 

And - somehow - the next day you were bigger.  Your thought process did mature overnight.  You firmly corrected any "Tiny Elvis" that escaped our tongues.  And this week you are reading me a Frog and Toad chapter book.  I'm simultaneously beaming and bemoaning.

Because the quiet cuddling Baby D still has a huge spot in my heart.  You were such a singular baby.  I know my mother eyes and heart (and memory) could be tainting reality, but I only remember an incredibly easy baby.  A chubby bundle of smiles.  A full belly and occasional kisses were the only requirements for complete content. 

Echoes of that babe are still present in your diplomatic doling of agreement, unquenchable need for affection and uncanny ability to keep at a task long-term.  But I've happily watched two more grown-up traits develop in you over the past year.

The first is a voracious love of learning.  Last spring you decided to sound out every letter you saw of every word you saw in every place you were.  That adds up quickly.  You drove me dizzy and eventually were forbidden from frazzling me with the alphabet non-stop (what child has to be grounded for learning?!).  But there was still no stopping you.  Sadly, between pregnancy and having a newborn, I feel like I've only been holding you back in this area.  You would happily read to me for the full 6.5 hours that Aidan is at school each day, but I limit our time to a half hour on most days.  So you sometimes go sit for another hour poring over books on your own.  It's slow going, but pure determination pushes you through until the last period and page.

The second trait I've watched and awaited is the seeds of spirituality.  I have often come across you in quiet alone time talking aloud to your Heavenly Father.  Learning the impact of that relationship will bless your life.  Just last week I was occupied at the stove and asked you to go help your screaming baby sister.  At first her screams doubled, but by the time my brain was rearranging cooking plans to accommodate her fussiness, all was quiet.  You rushed into the kitchen exclaiming that Heavenly Father helped Azure fall asleep because you didn't know what to do, but decided to say a prayer.  After your amen, all was calm.  You spoke the experience with such confidence, such surety.  I'm grateful to have a boy who knows where to turn for answers. 

I look forward to seeing what another year will bring.  So many changes are at your door.  Kindergarten, is around the corner, portending days when you won't be all mine.  That does tug my heart, but I know you will thrive.  And you will always keep a bit of that sweet Baby D personality, readily accepting my after school demands for kisses and stories about your day.  I will sit back and listen.  With the grateful knowledge that I've been given the Joy of raising such a singular boy - my Davyn James. 

the Birthday.

My Davyn wants to be a firefighter when he grows up.  As in, he talks about it daily.  In fact, he just walked in here two minutes ago to say, "I'm going to work for emergencies when I grow up.  Dad works to give kids money, but I'm going to work for emergencies."  I tried not to let him hear me laugh as he exited, and I only pursued the lack of logic with one question, "Dad works to give kids money?"  To which he answered, "Ya, he gives us money."  Which is somewhat true, I suppose.  And I won't destroy his fantasy yet with the cold, hard fact that real life is about plain old dollars and cents.

But, back to the firefighting.  OF COURSE my boy wanted a firefighter party for his 5th birthday.  And Dad worked to give us money to make it so.  Of course.

Party pictures:

Junior Firefighter Training began with stretching out...getting ready for the action ahead.

Besides the whole funding the party job which we've already covered as his prime purpose for existence, Jim was in charge of 45 minutes of *training* games.  Which he fulfilled splendidly.  As always.  The man can entertain children. 

They started with Rescue Freeze Tag.  It was hilarious to watch the kids try to *save* each other by crawling between tiny legs.   A few were swept off their feet.  We then had an obstacle course.  Timed.  Because we're all about the competition over here.  The *big boys*, Aidan, Collin and Talin, vied eagerly for first place, but the smaller crowd just had fun running the course to earn their hats and badges.

My blessedly artistic sister made this Pin the Hat on the Dalmation game. 

My blessedly artistic mother decorated the top of this cake. 

which the birthday boy loved. of course.

I neglected to take pictures of the 45 balloons I blew up by myself that morning.  I kept telling Jim that number, but he never acted sufficiently impressed so I'll put it down here in hopes for better praise of my devoted motherliness. 

The best part about the party was to see Davyn interact with all of his friends and cousins.  He is a people lover.  And he loved having so many around to honor his birthday last Saturday.

Monday was the actual birthday and he was content to tell me what to do all day and indulge in a birthday donut after dinner.

I LOVE this boy.

100th Birthday Cake!

Ever since decorating her 98th birthday cake a few years ago, I've hoped for this occasion.  And Grandma Scott very kindly {and incredibly keenly} obliged by making it to the centenarian status.  For reasons beyond confection and a Kay-Scott-planned-party, perhaps...still, it was an honor to create this cake for her. 

When we were at her house in Alpine over the summer, we sat watching dozens of hummingbirds out the window.  So I took that as the inspiration for this cake.

Here are some of the details...

I got a little worried about the amount of cake toward the end of the week, so I added this additional 10" layered to the table. 

It was my first time making sugar paste roses and I loved how much more realistic they turn out compared to the fondant ones I've done before.  It took some trial and error to get to cake-worthy roses, but I enjoyed the process immensely.

The birds were another fun challenge.  I textured the sugar paste after molding the birds, then painted on some powdered food coloring after they hardened.  Wooden skewers serve as the beaks so I could place them in the cake easily.

One of Jim's cousins crafted this tree for Grandma.  Imagine such an incredible momento of your posterity...of your influence...of year after year lived daily, hourly until your seed is plenty and your body is weary.   

4 Scott generations. 

My children are lucky to have four living great grandparents {and the potential of long, healthy lives themselves!}.  This was Azure's first meeting with grandma.  Her middle name comes from this Mae Scott and my own grandmother's mother, May Allen. 

Happy Birthday Grandma!

I know you want to kiss these cheeks.

New hat by Aunt Gina. 

Devastating cuteness by Azure

{with a bit of help from Jim & Amy's remarkable DNA}.

fighting an evil conspiracy.

first, the washing machine made his move.

6:35 pm, the family was in the midst of a mean game of Sorry, and suddenly the pantry floor was flooded.  Pinky toe deep.  We hadn't even come to the part where Aidan breaks into tears for being bumped back to Start.

then, it was the refrigerator's turn.

8:00 pm and the kids were finally in bed, the washing machine disaster was finally cleaned, and suddenly the kitchen floor is flooded. 

Was I just bumped back to start?!

Seriously.  What are the odds?  Two major appliances on {a majorly watery} strike?  Two hours apart.  And a week after the holidays have majorly dented our checking account? 

So this post is me looking on the bright side of my post-Christmas.  In photos. Jenna *just* whisked away our boys for two days at the Dunes. Jim and I have all sorts of loungy plans. 

8 Hendrix boy cousins playing football at a park.  So happy Tyler & Gina & gang are in town.

Made damn good wings last night.

Spent yesterday afternoon planning Grandma Scott's big 100! cake.  Oh how I love the planning..

This girl is a definite salve for my stresses. She gives me new smiles and sounds daily.

And a special bonus to my today is that I get to go to lunch with her and her and her.  Water-logged blues will not be bringing this girl down!