The B-HIVE: Max turns 6!

Wow! How is it that this little guy who fit in the crook of our arms only a short while ago is now a huge six-year-old? When I think about how quickly this seemed to happen I remember all of those well-wishers (neighbors and acquaintances with teenagers or grown children) who said to Paul and I, "Enjoy it while it lasts--they grow up so fast!", or, "Don't blink--they will be teenagers before you know it!" We just nodded an obligatory "yeah, yeah, yeah," thinking that all we cared about at the moment was that we needed to get a good night's sleep. Gosh darn it--they were right! I blinked and now Max is 6! I hate those people. I love my Max as a 6-yr-old, but I just really want him to slow down. He is sooooo big. He doesn't even like to hold my hand any more or give me a kiss--he is way too grown up for that (sniff, sniff).

Right now Max's favorite food is sushi, pizza and cow meat (aka a medium-rare, nice cut of steak). He likes "peanut butter and jelly but without the jelly, opened and cooked" for breakfast (aka peanut butter toast). Max's favorite restaurant is still "California Tortilla." He loves his motorcycle though he doesn't get to ride it much now that it has gotten cooler and wetter. He is into legos and any "guys" that are really small. He also likes stuffed "cool toys" like superhero's and build-a-bears dressed as star wars characters. He is reading and is so smart! He can draw amazing masterpieces that decorate our refrigerator and cabinetry. Max loves to have playdates with his buddy's of which he has several. He is the fastest kid in his class (as several of the other parents have told me their kids have told them...), and he is the best big brother ever--Sam and Jack are LUCKY!!

For Max's birthday this year we invited his classmates and a bunch of his friends to a "Superhero Training" party at "Pump It Up" (a party place with a bunch of rooms full of inflatable bouncy houses). Since he turned 6 on a Saturday this year, we held the party on his actual birthday. Before we headed to the venue, however, we managed to squeeze in the opening of a few presents...

Here is Max (with Sam and a couple of his other friends) practicing their superhero moves before the party starts...

This was some sort of a "wind tunnel" that the kids just loved...

After the kids were done bouncing and jumping and climbing and sliding, we all headed to the party room for pizza and cake. Here is the cake (made awesome by the Giant Bakery) before we cut it...

Paul is checking out the throne...

Max got to sit on the throne while we sang "Happy Birthday" and he blew out the candles...

After Max's party ended, I took him to one of his friend's birthday parties for some more celebrating. Then we came home for a special birthday dinner of...