Happy 4th Birthday Caden... Celebration Week!

YAY! We made it to birthdays! First it was Kaki's 18 month birthday and now Caden's turn... he's 4!!! In the words of Michelle Tanner, "Woah, BABY!!" I can hardly believe it! I will get to his 4 year old post soon, complete with a pretty boy photo shoot, but for now I've got lots of birthday week celebrations to document! It was a week FULL of fun! 

It all started on the Saturday before New Year's when I was out and about taking the afternoon to do some hunting around local antique stores. I was on ONLY my first lap through one of my favorite spots when my eye was drawn to these babies...

BAND HATS!! Complete with plume... is that what they're called...plume? Anyway... WHAT AN EXCITING FIND!! So I snatched them up and ran straight to the register and asked the lady behind the counter to hold on to these beauties because they were going home with me!!! When I was recounting this story to Nana and Bop, Bop found it hilarious that I thought ANYONE else would take them... touche, Bop, touche!

I did make quite the scene when I saw them... it was a full on, GASP! then GIGGLE and then the sprint to the register! When I was checking out after making another few laps the lady asked me if I planned on starting a marching band and I politely said, "Not today!" but that I had the cutest little almost 4 year old at home who would LOVE these early birthday surprises!!

And boy did he EVER! Of course he did lament that there was a T and not a B but hey they are green and the PLUME!! So he hopped aboard the thankful train and decided they really were too good to be true... one for him and one for his sidekick... Kaki-pants! Although, Kaki isn't quite so sure she is up for actually wearing the hat on her head... squishing those curls and all!

That afternoon we went to Home Depot and Caden insisted on wearing his hat inside... we had at least 4 different conversations with complete strangers about it and a few giggles from others! It was quite the spectacle...  bless his band-lovin' heart!

On New Year's Eve we had some dear family friends over who have boys the same age as Caden and a little girl who is about a year younger than Kaki... Caden of course thought they were coming over to kick start his birthday celebrations and not to celebrate NYE, and we let him think just that! 

I didn't get ANY pictures from the night except of one after Kaki got ready... she was in a cheesin' mood!

The next morning, New Year's Day aka Caden's BIRTHDAY started off with waffles and presents!! WHOOO HOOOO!

He was a happy, happy boy to have gotten Chutes and Ladders... he loves games!! AND he also got his very own orchestra to conduct!! When I saw it several months ago at Target I knew this had to be his and then with the band hats it just turned out to be quite the little theme and was much appreciated and has been greatly enjoyed by my lil man! It's a really neat toy!!

After a hamburger and onion ring lunch (C's request, of course) we busted out the cake for a little singing and candle #2 of the day! :) Caden asked for a sprinkle cake with sprinkle icing... the first I have ever heard of him mentioning such a thing, but what's funny is that Justin used to ask for this very same cake each year for his birthday from his Grandma... so who knows... maybe it's genetic! :)

He loved that cake and ate at least two pieces a day for the next few days... I took one bite and was done... I was SO over food by the time his birthday rolled around! But not my Caden... he has a sweet-tooth the size of Texas, just like his Daddy! And sister too... 

It was a SUPER fun day of celebrating Caden. Lots of people called to wish him a happy birthday and he was excited to talk to each one! 

BUT the BIG, HUGE event was upcoming... we actually had a FRIEND party for Caden this year! He asked for one and we delivered. One way or another we came up with the Polar Express theme for Caden's party and he loved it and so we ran with it. Having it be after Christmas though we were heavy on the TRAIN part and light on the Santa! We had been talking the party up for WEEKS... months even because we had to book the train so far in advance and I was a little bit nervous about how it would all go. I wasn't sure if Caden would like the attention or if I knew what to do to entertain a bunch of 4 year old boys... but we worked it out and I think it was a great success for our first big boy birthday party... he's already told me next year we're in for another friend party so I guess he enjoyed it too!

I tried not to put too many pics of the guests because not everyone wants their face plastered on someone's blog, but I didn't have many of the train that didn't include a few faces!

But luckily I was able to snap a pic of the birthday boy and his Daddy!!

The kids took popcorn on the train ride and a bell to ring as they traveled through the neighborhood!

When the kids arrived at the party they each decorated a wooden train with markers and stickers to take home as a favor! :) Then they dined on donut hole kabobs, grape kabobs and sausage balls!

Once they got back from their SUPER cold train ride they warmed up with hot chocolate!!

Here are a few pics of the guests while the kids were out riding the train!

Poppa, Gran and Nana

Bop and his Kaki-Lou!

Poor Uncle Josh and his oven burned arm... it's hard work being an uncle who was put in charge of the sausage balls! :)

The Evans fam... :)

Oh yah... and the party guests were asked to wear PJS... because DUH... that's what they do on the Polar Express! :)

Kk and her girl...

Once we passed out the hot chocolate it was cake time!! 

My sweet friend Abbi was snapping pics for me... I thought this was hilarious when I was scrolling through them... Kaki girl don't eat your baby!!

Around the kitchen...

Kaki eating cake...

Hot chocolate and cake for the Caden-man... that's a lot of Cs.

After cake it was pinata time!! WA-HOOO!!!

Each kid got to go through three times before it was finally SMASHED to pieces... it was one sturdy pinata... go Target!

Caden showing his favorite... Smarties! (I always thought that Smarties were "junk candy" when I was little and Caden LOVES them!! Hilarious!)

After all of Caden's sweet friends left it was time to open presents with the family and eat some BBQ. We asked that Caden's birthday party guests not bring presents, so don't think I'm a mean mom and didn't let Caden open them at his party! :)

Caden was spoiled beyond measure with some awesome loot! We are so thankful to everyone who continues to lavish their generosity on our children... they love it so! :) And we don't particularly mind it either.

After presents we got that Kaki girl down for a nap and the rest of us played... Caden took Uncle Josh in the backyard to play with his new see-saw that KK and Albi got him for Christmas! Uncle Josh had Caden dripping sweat for most of the afternoon... playing football and tackle and who knows what!! We all could hear the giggles coming from the play room!! :)

And we made Aunt Emily ride too... she looked like a 4 year old herself, her feet popping up off the ground... she loved it! And said she wanted one for her next birthday!! :-) Nothing says 29 like a see-saw! 

It was a fabulous day of celebrating Caden! We are so thankful to all who came to celebrate with us and those who celebrated with us in spirit! We had such a fun time watching Caden party with his friends and then with his family! I think it is safe to safe that Caden's heart was very full! 

A personal thanks to KK and Aunt Emily for coming into the kitchen and keeping the party in motion... oh and to Uncle Josh too... I forgot he was so handy in the kitchen (ahem, burned arm!). It was so nice to be able to have extra hands! The party was cleaned up before the last kid his the curb... now that's what I call awesome!! Thanks for everything!

Later that night after everyone but KK and Albi went home we went out to get some hamburgers and onion rings to top off an already incredible day of celebrating Caden!

AND...

I know... we're not done yet!!

On Sunday night we took Caden and Kaki to the Texas Stars Hockey Game!! It was SOOOO fun and we made it the whole game and even into overtime!! The Stars won and we had such a great time! It was the first sporting event I had been to in a few years... I was loving it! :) Makes me hopeful for some Baylor games next fall!

It was the perfect cap to a big, birthday week for our 4 year old!! What a fun way to celebrate year number FOUR!! We love you, Cade-man!! Happy Birthday DUDE!!!