Braden turns 5!

My sweet Braden turned 5 a few weeks ago and I'm still trying to figure out how this is possible.  He has my heart and is such a delight and we are so very proud of him.  At five, I love him for his sweet, caring heart which is full of compassion and genuine concern for others.  I love Braden for his childlike faith that I see so often throughout almost everyday as he calls on God and stops to pray or tells me truth about Jesus and how big He is and how much He loves us.  I love him for the way he loves and cares for his brother.  Asher truly is his best friend and for that I am so thankful.  I love Braden for his crazy big imagination and for the ways he shows me how to be a child again myself.  I love him for the way he is still so affectionate and cuddly, still climbing in my lap almost daily.  I love Braden for the gift of encouragement that I know God has given him.  He is forever saying, "momma you're so pretty," or telling Asher that he is proud of him or that Asher is doing a good job doing something.  I love the little boy that he is becoming and I can see how God is shaping and refining him to be more like Christ.  I just wish I could slow it all down and take it in deeper. 

Anyway, if you know Braden, then you know that he is super into dressing up in costume and imagining that he is everything from a fighter pilot to an army guy to an astronaut to a police man.  I love it and I love his imagination!  So after much deliberation he decided on an army party.  Here are some pictures of his birthday weekend with friends and family.  Wish I had gotten some better pictures, but I realize that photography is not one of my best skills...maybe one day!!!

Braden eating his pancakes in the shape of a 5...our annual birthday morning tradition...

I took the boys to the Science Museum to spend the day on Braden's actual birthday.  It was his choice of places to go and we had such a good time playing together.  Here he is pretending to be a fisherman -

For dinner we went out to his favorite Mexican restaurant and ate quesadillas as he requested.  They came out and sang to him and gave him the sombrero to wear.  He got really embarrassed when the waiters came to sing Happy Birthday to him and wipe cake on his face, but he warmed up for a smile for the camera -

 Eating cake with his brother.  Braden's actually not a big fan of cake or anything sweet for that matter, but his brother sure is -

Probably the only decent picture I got of Braden at his birthday party.  Am I the only one who has a hard time getting their kids to sit still for a picture -

Asher thoroughly enjoyed himself on the water slide, this child has no fear -

 Let the games begin...
Throwing water balloon grenades at the bad guys...apparently Asher thought this game was hilarious-

  

 

Water gun fight with Daddy -

Blowing the candles out of the cake which Braden helped to decorate  -

And remember when thirsty at a party, one must know where to go for juice boxes -

All in all, we had a great party.  It was such a fun day celebrating Braden.  I love that little boy so much and I'm so thankful that God chose him for me.