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Benson turns 6 years old today. Actually he technically won't be 6 until 8:50pm PST, which is especially confusing since it's already daylight savings time, but it won't be until sometime later this evening. I realized tonight as I was laying next to Benson telling him the story of the day he was born that he was born on a Monday. Sunday, March 14th, 2004, was my official due date and I remember being not very happy that I had to go to church STILL pregnant on that Sunday. That night Mike and I went on a very long walk, hoping that that would help something happen. And it did. I woke up around midnight having contractions that got progressively more painful and closer together. It was a long day of laboring and I was SO relieved when he was finally born. I told him tonight that I don't think he really cried at all when he was born. Maybe just a few short wails, and then he just looked around with his eyes wide open taking in the world. I spent so much time that night just touching his little face because I couldn't believe that he was really here and really ours.

Benson is such a special kid. He has been blessed with so many strengths and talents. He loves learning and has such an incredible capacity to retain all of the information he takes in. Everything he says sounds smart. Just the other day he came out to breakfast and I asked him how he was feeling and after he snorted some major mucus he said "I just sucked the boogers up this nasal passage." Yum. He is a sweet and protective older brother and loves to be his dad's buddy. He has reminded us the last several days that he came first and is the oldest in our family. Oh how we love our Benson boy!


We have already had several celebrations for his birthday. Since this week is Spring Break and Friday was an Early Release Day, Grace and I brought cupcakes and Capri Sun's to Benson's class on Thursday afternoon. His latest interest is Space and the Solar System so I frosted the cupcakes black and put white stars all over them. I also made some Solar System Bingo cards and brought them for his class to play with m&m's as markers since we aren't doing a party this year. He loved it which made the crazy morning I had trying to get everything all ready while tending several other children worth it.



On Friday afternoon after school, Benson helped me make his Solar System Birthday cake. Then around dinner Grandpa Jeff, Grandma Stacey, and Aunt Sarah arrived to spend the night on their way out to Utah. We had sloppy joes and tater tots for dinner (Benson's request) and cake and ice cream. He opened his presents from Grace and Sabrina, Aunt Jenny, and Grandma and Grandpa gave him his new bike. His present from us this year is a trip to Kansas City to do some fun things. Actually we are going on little overnight trips for each of the kid's birthdays this year; we are hoping the memories will last longer than toys!
1 - Ben opening Grace and Sabrina's presents, 2 - The new bike, 3 - Shirts from Aunt Jenny (Thanks!), 4-6 - Grandpa and Benson playing with the Noise Putty the girls got for him. Notice in the first picture Benson is trying to get it from Grandpa but Grandpa's not giving it up. They had lots of fun making disgusting noises together.


And yes, we did include Pluto on our Solar System cake. We know it's not a planet anymore, but as Benson said "It's still a part of our Solar System." I couldn't argue with that.

Happy Birthday to our favorite 6 year old!