Happy 7th Birthday, Bennett!!

I can't get sentimental. I just can't right now. Because if I really sit down and think about the fact that my baby is 7 I might lose it. So I will just blog about how much fun we had celebrating 7 years of my awesome kid and I will refrain from being my normal sappy self.

We went to Alabama in early February for a family camp and we stopped by my sister's for an afternoon. My parent's met us there and they had a little surprise party for Bennett. It was a few weeks early, but since we only get to see my family a few times a year, they decided to celebrate while we could. They had presents and cupcakes for her and she has talked about it nonstop.

For the big day in Texas she decided that she didn't want a party but would rather spend the night at Great Wolf Lodge. If you have never stayed at one of those, you should. It is a huge lodge with restaurants, an arcade, activities and a huge indoor water park. It is amazing and we are so glad there is one in Dallas.

I knew I was making her a cake, and we didn't want to eat it all by ourselves, so I did ask a few friends over the day before her birthday to come and have cake with us and play. Since we all walk to school in Texas, it was fun to have 5 friends walk home from school with us and just play for a few hours.

Of course Bennett got into costume the second they all got back to our house. At least a few friends joined her.

And karaoke was a must. I am pretty sure they were singing songs from Frozen. In fact, I am 100% sure of it.

I had to capture this sweet moment, because I feel like they are rare these days. Bennett's friends told Will that he couldn't play with them because he was a Kindergarten baby. :( He ran to Lainey's room and was crying. I went in to comfort him but before I could get to him, Bennett flew in the room to hug him and tell him that of course he could play. With all the fighting that is going on these days, it was such a nice reminder that when push comes to shove, the bond these two have is unbreakable.

And here is the Frozen castle cake I clearly made for Bennett. Not my finest creation, but I love making them for her and she is still too young to be embarrassed by my sloppy handiwork.

Happy 7th Birthday, Bennett!!

 So thankful for friends. When you move, that is your biggest concern for your children.

Oh, how I love this SEVEN year old!!

And this two year old as well.

***side note- I adore the 5 year old as well, but I didn't have any pictures of him at the table. But Will, if you are reading this in a few years, you were there, and I love you as well. This blog post shall not be evidence for your therapist. ***

The next day, on her actual birthday, Lainey and I took Chick-Fil-A up to Bennett's school and had lunch with her.

And then she came home and opened presents from her family.....

....and then we immediately hopped in the car and headed to Great Wolf Lodge for the night.

We're here! The rooms were so much fun. Rob and I had a king sized bed but right next to it was a little built in log cabin. Inside the cabin were bunk beds and another twin bed. Perfect for our three kids. They felt like they were on a camping trip instead of at a water park.

Okay, enough with the hotel. Let's get to the water park!! Happy Birthday, Bennett!!

Will and Lainey were grateful beneficiaries of Bennett's birthday choice.

After dinner the kids got in their pajamas and went to the lobby for a really cool story time.

And then we went to the ice cream shop in the hotel for a giant ice cream sundae. 

It's good to be 7!

Because when it's your birthday you get to eat ice cream with your sister in your pajamas at 9pm.

This place is awesome!!

Good night, everyone.

The next morning we got up and the kids went to the arcade in their pajamas. Why not?

And then Lainey realized that there was still water fun to be had and that was the end of pajama time.

Birthday fun continuing to the next day.

We stayed in the water park for most of the day but we had to leave a bit early, because outside of our warm pool, it was doing this outside. But that's another blog for another day.

I promised I wouldn't get sappy, and I won't, but I have to say that I have been a mom for seven years now (!!???!!!) and it has been the craziest, hardest, most wonderful adventure of my life. Happy Birthday to the creative ball of sunshine that made me a mother. I love you to the moon and back.