We were still in Nac for the big event and originally if I am to be completely honest I was a little bummed that we would be out of town on Caden's birthday, BUT I think it actually ended up being one of those little nuggets that God gives us because he KNOWS what is best... Caden had a fabulous day!
It was truly a team effort making the Baylor Band Birthday party of his dreams all come together. Aunt Emily was SUPER sweet and made Caden the coolest birthday banner to hang throughout the house and took care of ordering balloons... 30 of them... in green and gold... and also got one of her sweet friends who is actually the wife of one of our best friends from college to make Caden the BEST birthday cake ever! It was a green and gold Baylor Band birthday from start to finish...
Without further adieu... here is what Caden saw as he walked out of his room on the morning of his birthday... TA-DA!!!!
Happy Birthday Caden!!!
Every band needs a field to march on... so KK googled her little heart out and found the perfect solution! :) I had this idea after watching Caden turn our entryway rug into the "field" for weeks!! And he LOVES that thing!!All of his loot...
I made Caden a band hat... and it is HILARIOUS looking... totally a homemade job for sure... and of course he would not wear it, but I had to try and I'm glad I did... :) He was checking out his new big boy bike... a little overwhelmed with all of the birthday fun! See that stereo on the table... it was playing the Baylor Fight Song as he can walking down the hallway... I think it may have been a bit much at first, but once he woke up a bit more he was SO excited! And this is why we don't do parties for this child... :)
He opened up his presents on his new field with the Baylor band playing in the background!
Everyone went with the band theme for his birthday and he received ALL sorts of goodies... three instruments that actually play... a sax, a clarinet and a trumpet... trumpet is his favorite. A piano and a Mickey Mouse that comes with a guitar that you can play along with... he dances and does the splits too... Mickey... not Caden... at least not yet!I also made Caden my very first attempt at a Surprise Ball... you can see it on the dining table in the pictures above... it was so fun! He had LOTS of Baylor gear to unravel ... all to be prepared for the big event happening later that morning...
BUT first... Green and Gold pancakes... and for the life of me I don't know why we didn't take a picture, but we were busy... :) Having SO much Baylor Band fun!! He loved them and in fact asked for Baylor pancakes today at school when they were having PJ and Pancake day... ha!
Then after breakfast we all put on our Baylor gear... and grabbed an instrument and headed outside for the Golden Wave Marching Band's debut in the Evans New Year's Day Parade...hurray!! Uncle Josh and Albi took a little convincing but I think everyone thoroughly enjoyed our jaunt through the neighborhood. Sweet Kaki-girl missed the parade... but actually it ended up working out well that she was napping when all of the parade fun was going on!!
Here we are... starting to assemble...
Can you sense Uncle Josh's enthusiasm??!! I think he is worried about what his neighbors might think... 
I was the official flag carrier and boom box DJ... playing the various Baylor Band songs as we marched...
My child is OBSESSED with his shadow and LOVES watching himself do his band "moves" as he marches... it is hilarious!! I am not ashamed to admit that we let Caden use the iPad A LOT and thus he has learned almost every move to every song that the Baylor band does... and I have video to prove it... wait for it! He is certainly a perfectionist when it comes to this band stuff... he really pays attention and then mimics what he sees... doing it over and over again until it's just right... oh wow!
Parade route... up the driveway...
LONG... driveway...
Playin' that trumpet with all his might!!!
And back down the driveway... Aunt Emily may have missed her calling... she was marching right in time! :)
After that Good 'Ol Baylor Line we paused for none other than a family Sic 'Em Bears... in the middle of the road... oh yes we did!!
Then Uncle Josh breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when we decided to move the party to the back yard... as soon as we put the football field down... Caden went after it. He marched and played his heart out and then decided it was time to take the other side of the ball, so to speak, and wanted to play catch!
This is what he does at home... he lines all of his instruments on the stairs and then plays football on the rug below the stairs... he will then step up on his stool and conduct the band, take an instrument and play in the band and then go back to his football.... he acts out the ENTIRE Baylor Football experience... complete with the FUMBLE, FUMBLE and TOUCHDOWN... and chanting R-G-3... R-G-3... it's really too much sometimes... so, so funny!And for those of you who think I am exaggerating I am really not!! Just ask anyone of our family members... they'll tell you... the kid is impressive with his knowledge of all things Baylor football... band, RG3... what have you...
After the morning parade and football fun we came inside to munch on some of Caden's favorite foods... quesadillas, queso and chips!! Kaki girl was up and ready to celebrate with her BU gear too!!
Just in time for our after lunch dessert the cake arrived!!
Don't you love it??!!! Sweet Mary picked the sailer bear because it looked most kid friendly... and I love it!! :)And Caden did too!!
Can you see how excited he is??!!!
He's been anticipating the candle blow out for weeks at this point... he is ready!
And he did it!! Then it was time for cake and green ice cream :)
YUM! After lunch there were NO naps for the Cade-man so it was more outside time with Mommy playing with our new toys from Christmas and his birthday... playing catch... rolling down the hill in the backyard... and going, going, going until he literally could go NO more!! It was a sweet time with just my boy and I for nearly an hour or so... before the rest of the fam joined in! I treasured that one right on up!! Poor Caden... by the time the sun was setting he was walking all funky because his legs were SO tired from running around ALL day long... so we made him come in, and rest on the couch with the iPad... another Chade fav! :)
It was a fantastic, wonderful, Caden filled day... full of all of his favorites!! He was a very happy, tired, three year old by day's end and I was a very happy Mommy who felt beyond blessed to be sharing life with these three...
Happy Birthday Cade-man!! We love you!!! AND FOR THE VIDEOS OF OUR MAN IN ACTION... ENJOY!!!
(Side Note: for posterity's sake I must document this... sorry Caden! The afternoon of Caden's birthday it was clear that Caden needed to go #2, but we STILL have not mastered that part of potty training yet. He holds, and holds and holds... after trying multiple times on the potty... but since it was his birthday I decided to not make him try and just give him a diaper and let him go for it. I knew it was needing to after all of the stuff he'd eaten and it had been a few days... well I was outside with Kaki enjoying the nice weather when all of the sudden Emily rushes out and tells us about the poop explosion that happened inside... I thought she may have been kidding but OH NO! Poor guy had SO much in there that it exploded... everywhere... and by everywhere I mean on Josh and Emily's brand new entry rug... AWESOME... BIG FAT POOP STAIN and a VERY mad Daddy!! I was sad for Caden and embarrassed for both of us but of course Emily and Josh were ever gracious by not making a fuss over it at all! It has since been sent to the carpet cleaners and supposedly looks like it is brand new... we'll see next I'm there! So when I said in my earlier post that we "broke" their house in... that is what I meant... It's not a party until somebody poops on the carpet!! It gives party pooper and entirely new meaning, doesn't it??!! Sorry Josh and Em... and thank you!!)
2 comments:
I think it was one of the best days ever. So much fun celebrating Caden and all the things he loves. It all came together perfectly.
It really was so much fun to celebrate that boy together. Thanks so much for sharing him on his big day! And I promise - the rug looks awesome :)
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