Logan's 9th Birthday!

Although I was dog tired, I rallied all the energy I could muster to turn around and host Logan's family party the day after his friend party.  As in year's past, we invited Chris' family to join us in addition to my parents since Trenton has been Logan's best buddy since he was two years old.  We hosted them on Sunday evening for a dinner of  Logan's choice (ham, homemade mac 'n cheese, broccoli, deviled eggs, and apple slices with chocolate cream pie for dessert) followed by presents.  Logan had a grand time running around with his cousin and thoroughly enjoyed opening his gifts--especially the legit sword that I ordered for him 1.5 years ago when we were first decorating his new, pirate-themed bedroom.  After receiving it in the mail and realizing that it really wasn't a toy sword, I decided to tuck it away in my gift closet for a year or two until I felt like he was old enough to "handle" this sort of gift.  Logan had completely forgotten that he had picked out this sword online so long ago and was just thrilled to receive it!  We enjoyed singing "Happy Birthday" to him and eating dessert before the cousins went upstairs and played a few rounds of flashlight, hide-and-go-seek before everyone went home.  As exhausted as I was, I was so grateful that both of Logan's parties were a success and that no one had to cancel last minute due to a cold or a possible Covid scare.  Plus, I was just so grateful to see how happy Logan was after each of his parties.  Being stuck in the middle of our family line-up, he can sometimes get overlooked, so I loved the chance to spoil him for the weekend!

Just by luck, Logan's one and only day going to school this week (since he only attends school on Wednesdays and Fridays right now and Friday was the first day of midwinter break) was on his actual birthday!  After making him our traditional, birthday breakfast of waffles with whipped cream and strawberries on top, I dropped him and Ella off at school with his bag of goodies to share with his class.  For the first time in my mothering career, I had to purchase store-bought, individually packaged treats for him to share with his classmates due to the fear of spreading germs during the pandemic. Logan was so excited to share his treats and was so happy to tell me after school that he got to stand at the front of the classroom while his class sang "Happy Birthday" to him.  Since I had already put on a big spread for his family party this past weekend, I decided to keep it simple on his actual birthday evening.  I picked up his favorite, Domino's Pizza for dinner after dropping Ella off at gymnastics.  We then ate a later dinner in the dining room after Ron brought Ella back home at 6:45.  Although Lia had to retreat to her bedroom at 7 p.m. to attend a virtual, YW activity, the rest of us enjoyed watching Logan open up a few more gifts (two from us and two that had arrived in the mail from Lola and Aunt Blanche) before singing to him one more time and eating the mini cake that I had bought earlier that day from the bakery section of the grocery store.  It was a nice and simple way to celebrate our boy one more time on his actual birthday.  I just can't believe that he is nine years old.  One more year and he will be in the double digits and, if I double his years, he will be a senior in high school and getting ready to graduate.  Oh my.  It's all just going too darn fast!

Logan eating dinner at the "kids' table" at his family party on February 7th with the rest of his siblings and cousins.

The adults, plus Emmett, eating dinner in the dining room.

Logan and his best buddy and cousin, Trenton, getting ready to open his gifts.

Emmett watching as Logan opened up his first gift that was wrapped in "carsh" (cars) wrapping paper.  Emmett had been fascinated with this gift ever since I wrapped it a few days ago due to the cars on the outside of it.  As a result, it was the first gift that Emmett brought to Logan to open.

Logan opening up the large present with his sword inside.

A very happy Logan holding up his sword.

Logan showing off his fake money and cloth, money bag that he has been wanting for a few months now.  This is definitely another pirate-inspired gift that he has asked for over the years!

Trenton gave Logan a gift full of a bunch of fun and unique toys.  One of them was a legit, metal Slinkie which we have never owned before.  Here is Ella trying it out on the stairs with Logan and Emmett looking on.

Ella and Logan fighting over the Slinkie.  I just had to include this picture as it paints a very realistic picture of what goes on in our household on a regular basis.

In keeping up with our new, Covid tradition, we had Logan fan out the candles again instead of blowing them out to prevent the spreading of germs.  Everyone in my family thought that this was a really funny and good idea!  Here is Logan holding his hand up in the air getting ready to fan the candles as we finished singing "Happy Birthday."

Logan fanning away!

Logan and Trenton enjoying their chocolate cream pie.

The birthday boy almost finished with his dessert and as pleased as can be.

Logan getting ready to blow out the candles on his waffles at breakfast on his actual birthday today.

Lia and Ella posing with Logan before dinner tonight.

The two sisters giving their brother a birthday kiss!

Logan getting ready to open up one of two family gifts from us tonight--a plastic, Minecraft sword.

For some reason, Emmett decided to take off his pants after dinner.  He looked so funny walking around in his diapers and shirt that I just couldn't resist taking a few pictures.  Here he is helping Logan take the tissue papers out of the gift bag.

The two boys posing with Logan's other new sword.

Emmy and Ellie posing with the birthday boy.

Emmett immediately wanted the sword and Logan graciously shared it with Emmett since he was not allowed to share the real, metal sword that got on Sunday night.

Logan holding up a gift card and card from Lola that had arrived in the mail in the nick of time today.

Ella smiling with Logan before he blew out his last set of candles this birthday season!  What a good run he had.  We love you, Logie boy!  We sure love you!