Happy Birthday to Brody!

My first baby is 5 years old! I don't know what it is about age 5 that sounds so old, but it seems like the "bye-bye to babyhood" age. Maybe it's because 5 is when you know you're going to send them to school in the fall, I don't know. But I know Brody is getting so big!

Brody has always been the... umm... spunky one, and Brody at 5 is no exception. He loves to entertain, and if he's not getting your attention by singing silly songs, then he'll get a little mischevious to get a rise out of you. But he has so much fun with everything he does, and he does it all FULL ON.

I know I've said it before, but Brody and Ben are partners in crime. They're either giggling together, getting in trouble together, or coming to me crying that the other one kicked them in the teeth! But they're best buds. And Brody is such a good big brother to Marley. He watches out for her and he's so sweet to her, and she loves her "Brrr-dy."

We're so grateful to have our happy, healthy, crazy Brody Boy in our lives, and so we celebrated on his birthday with all his little friends at a choo-choo train party at the Elkmont Depot. Brody had a big time, and I think all the other kids did, too. Thanks to everyone who came and helped us celebrate!

My lovely assistants helped me get everything ready for the party. Thanks, Mom and Dad! And thanks to Doodaddy for keeping the kids during the day so we could get ready.

 The kids decorated their own "box cars" to make a train. Carlie gets some help with her car.

Charity and Vivian work on their box cars.

Nathan gives Brody a little help finishing his box car.

Kyle with his finished car.

Dawson tries his car on for size.

The popular corner of the room - the train table. Thanks to Amy and Emily for letting us borrow your table and train sets!

Cousins - Marley and Aaron build a track.

Dad reads "The Little Engine that Could" to the kids in the library that's in one end of the Depot.

Brody was pretty into the story.

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...

The cake! It wasn't as elaborate as the train cake I made for his third birthday, but still, it was a job. Totally worth it, though, when he first saw it and his face lit up and he jumped up and down and said, "It's a train!"

Everybody's ready for a slice.

And Brody gets more sugar than anybody! I LOVE this photo of this big ol' kiss Kharma planted on Brody, just because he's so awkward with it all! Maybe this is why he told me today: "Kissing is GROSS!"

After cake and ice cream, all the kids put on their box cars and made a train around the room to the sound of "C'mon Ride the Train."

Dylan chugs down the track.

The kids go around a time or two more.

Brody opens presents.

The kids check out the new Zhu Zhu pet. Brody's loving "Mr. Squiggles!"

Andrew has some fun with Grandma Penny.

Fun times!