f.o.u.r.

FOUR! 4. f....o....u....r...... feels.............SO grown-up.  Four feels on the brink of a whole-new big kid world.  We celebrated the big day with MeeMee, Nana, Papa and the usually requested pizza and ice cream.  Tante was out of town for work so couldn't join us for the actual birthday fun.  We had a low-key and fun day with a couple playground visits and some favorite meals before everyone joined us for dinner and gifts.

I had spent the night before wrapping gifts and hanging his banner, etc.  Both alone and with Ryan, I spent a lot of time contemplating the nerves and unknown of the eve of his birth four years earlier.  I really had somehow viewed it all from outside my body in some miraculous act of self-preservation.  The fact that I could sleep at all that night still absolutely baffles me.  We have pictures and video and our composure before, during and right after his birth are such a testament to the power of the human mind and body.  I love re-living the gift of Ben each year and feeling extra-thankful (as I'm pretty thankful for him most days,) for the un-selfish and incredible gift his birth-mom gave us.

Enough of the sap and on to the fun.......


We had a little photo shoot the day before Ben's birthday before he got pizza and ice cream all over his shirt.

And the celebration.....

We had ice cream cones since Daddy is making cupcakes for the big party.

Ben still isn't overwhelmingly into opening gifts but started out with fervor.  I tried to save the basketball for the end, but Ben chose it second and would've been happy to stop then.

He got this adorable Super Ben costume from the TS fam.

 

He LOVES his "Go! Go! football! Omaha!" jersey.

 The day after began with a big-screen viewing of Wall-E...

He had previously only had Wall-E on MeeMee's iPad

and lunch staring at his Wall-E card from the Blackerbys

 

then he had to show me how it was done with his new full-size, real-deal basketball

Look for "more about 4," in posts to come and the Splish Splash Bash this weekend!