Let's Get This Party Started...

My sweet, sweet Bubba turned 6 on Wednesday. Sniff, sniff. That's right...I said 6.

All he wanted to do for his birthday was go to Lake Fort Smith with his grandparents and cousins and swim. We had several alternatives, but he kept coming back to this same idea. So in 100 degree heat we took a picnic. And sweat ate. Not sure why it didn't hit me until after we had eaten, but we could've eaten somewhere here and then driven up there to swim. Hmm. Novel ideas always hit me AFTER the fact. Le sigh.

Then we went swimming in bathwater. If you've never been swimming up there the new swim area is so much fun!

It's hard for me to believe. My boy is 6 whole years old. Six years ago that little squirt was a newborn with huge eyes and squishy, puffy cheeks.

Now he's just my little nerd hoarder man who is obsessed with...

KEYS!!!! Can you see what he's holding? Yes, I'm an enabler. He got a REAL John Deere master ignition key. And a flashlight keychain to hook it on. Not surprisingly, it was his favorite present. Sigh.

Second in line for most favorite present is this little beauty here. Can you see what it is??? Yes, folks, that's a desk organizer. Yes, you read correctly. A desk organizer. For a desk he doesn't have. Another dramatic sigh.

What kind of birthday for Bubba would it be without cars?? This is his first birthday he didn't get Cars cars. However, not far behind Cars is...

TOY STORY! Yes, they now make Toy Story cars. He snagged 2 of those bad boys.

And what little boys doesn't need his own treasure chest??? Seriously, that was $2.99 at Hobby Lobby...and then 40% off that. So I indulged him. See? I'm the enabler!

His Nona got him a Spongebob fishing pole, a tent, and a lantern. HUGE hits, all of them.

And his Nana got him this heavy duty Radio Flyer. This one he knew he was getting. He picked it out online. And Nana "hid" it, basically in plain sight in her garage. And although he searched everywhere in her house and the attic, he never found it.

Mental note: Hide future presents right under Bubba's nose and he'll never find them.

The pinata was pretty much the piece de resistance for the party. I rocked it in true white trash style and held it up with my hand instead of tying it to anything. No worries...it was the pull string kind and not the hitting kind. Actually, pull string in the singular form is the perfect way to describe it. By the time we made it through Walmart, in the car, home from Walmart, repacked in the car and taken to Lake Fort Smith there was ONE string remaining. ONE. So the birthday boy did the honors and pulled ONE string to release all the candy.

Have I ever mentioned our love for all things Spongebob? This is Bubba's 2nd Spongebob cookie cake. It doesn't get much better than that. This is the only thing that didn't come home with us from Lake Fort Smith.

Just in case you wondered....Doh Doh REALLY liked her first taste of cookie cake. And 2nd, and 3rd....

Doesn't she look adorable in her patriotic swimsuit????? Just had to throw in a picture of my little bathing beauty.

And here is our precious birthday boy, and patient little brother, in the new tent for the night.

Don't they look sweet? Like they could actually fall asleep in there?

They lasted all of 15 minutes. Then they hightailed it to my bed for a slumber party.

Last night was attempt #2. Ten minutes later they were in their bed. Bubba said, "We'll sleep in the tent tomorrow night."

Riiiiiiiiiight. I ain't holdin' my breath on that one, folks.

Well, happy birthday, Bubba! You are my pride and joy. And though your hoarding and incessant key obsession is extremely difficult and makes me want to pull out each and every eye lash I absolutely love my tender hearted little man cub.

And hopefully, as hot as it was up there, I sweat off all that Spongebob cookie cake I consumed. Hopefully.....