Bumblebee and Darth Vader

The six year old turned seven this last weekend. My lovely parents came as did my sister and her (sort-of?) boyfriend. It was super fun, had a lovely time, good conversations, and was so glad to all be together. We laughed and joked and took walks, played a new board game, ate lots of sweet things like Cinnamon rolls from Vern's (the best in the world) and drank lots of yummy alcoholic beverages like coconut rum and Cabernet-Merlot mixes.

I did, of course, get stressed before everyone came. Cleaning, baking, cooking, and party organization can take up some time for doing and space for thinking. But once everyone was here it really was great.

The kiddos went bowling and it was so cute to see 3-7 year-olds shoving a big yellow ball down a ramp to the lane with the bumpers and then get a strike! They would high-five each other and say "YEAH!"

The 3 year old (who, from now on, I have decided to re-name (only in the blog of course!) "Darth Vader" because he LOVES Star Wars and Anakin/Darth Vader so darned much. He sings little songs on bike rides about Anakin turning to the dark side to the tune of the Darth Vader music. He knows which little "lightsaver" belongs to which action figure. "Oh no, Mama, that's the green one with stripes around the handle so it belongs to Luke. The green one with just one stripe belongs to General Grievous.") did a great job with the seven year old's birthday. I think it was a little hard for him to understand that he didn't get presents too. But he just played and sang and did his little Darth Vader thing and got more than 100 points bowling!

Bumblebee (formerly-known-as-the-six/seven-year-old who is as nuts about Transformers as the 3 year old is about Star Wars. He just loves the yellow camaro autobot who is as sweet in the movie as the seven year old is in real life. Might as well call him Bumblebee, right?) seemed to have a great time and enjoyed the festivities. He even told me he was thankful to me for putting it together!

I just can't believe he's seven. Darth Vader will be four in June. I thought I was the one who had the babies. I don't understand how they grow up so fast. Everyone tells you that too. It sounds like a no-brainer. In fact, one would think that a child growing up IS a no-brainer. But it freaks me out. It seems life picks up speed everyday. I don't believe I want more babies. The baby stage is hard but wonderful--there is nothing better than holding a sweet newborn. (Speaking of, my bed-rest friend is now infant-mom-friend with a week old beautiful baby boy. I got to hold him and it felt vaguely familiar holding such a small little guy, as if I was looking at a photo of myself 3 1/2 years ago with a newborn. But it also felt strangely odd, as though my boys were never that small. I felt a little awkward. How doest that happen so fast?) I guess one must really, really try to be in the moment. That moment disappears so quickly as if it were a fleeting dream in the early morning. I feel like this is just something I'm beginning to understand.