A Very "Incredible" High-Five Birthday!

Wyatt had a killer birthday this year! It all started off when Grandma K. sent him a $15 check in the mail. Wyatt thought just the paper it was printed on was awesome, but when we actually went to the bank and I handed a ten and a five in his greedy little hands, he was beside himself! We wondered the aisles of Wal-Mart for all of ten seconds before Wy figured out what he wanted: "The Incredibles" on DVD. (He's on a real Incredibles-kick lately...hence, the "i" cupcakes below...in fact, he wants to be Dash for Halloween.)

The kids have been bugging us since February to go to Lagoon. Personally, as parents who don't enjoy keeping track of our brood in a crowd and also as cheapskates, it's not our favorite place. Sure, it's fun and all, but you pay an arm and a leg and the other leg to get in! After a while, though, "keeping up with the Joneses" kind of made us feel like maybe we were schmucky parents to never take our children to the local themepark. So we caved and told Wyatt the fate of Lagoon rested upon his bony shoulders: he could choose between a friend-birthday party or the family going to Lagoon. After some serious thought, he chose to go "where fun is". In the end, we had an awesome day! The only regret we had was doing Lagoon-A-Beach, where on an overcast day the UNheated pools weren't exactly super-enticing. Other than that, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, especially the fact that our kids were worn out and ready for bed by 6 p.m. We invited any family around that could/wanted to go, so it was even more fun to share it with Grandma Dixie, Grandpa John, Aunt Heidi, Aunt Ashlee (with baby girl in utero...no fun rides for Ash...sorry...), Uncle Bret, and Cousin Jace. Here are some pictures of our INCREDIBLE day:
When it comes to rides, Halle is the polar opposite of me, which is good (to a point). She's a major thrill-seeker just like her dad. I'm glad she is brave, but as her protective, (ok, paranoid) mama, I wish she wasn't so fearless. This girl will ride ANYTHING!

Ahhhh...the Music Express. How I'd missed you!
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By 6:00, the kids were spent and finally asking to go home so Wyatt could open presents. I'm not trying to sound braggy, but I have to say that we got him the coolest gift this year. You know how sometimes you get your kids something and you know they'll like it but you feel a bit mediocre about it? Well, 2009 proved to be the year HE and WE loved his bday gift. It's a Tag Reader...somehow you feel so much more pleased with yourself when their "toy" is something that can teach them... Wyatt also knows how to read this year, so it was fun to hear him read every. single. word. on his birthday cards. Halle picked out a giant Rice Krispie Treat for his birthday gift. I don't know anyone who gives better reactions to presents than Wyatt. He thought that block of sugar was the best gift he'd ever received (proof is in the hug at the end of the post).