Benny Boo is 7!

It's hard to believe my baby is 7--but I feel like that every year. He is becoming so mature. He's a sweet mama's boy who loves to learn and remembers absolutely everything. He's awesome in math and reading but prefers art and recess. He loves baseball, airplanes, Nerf guns, animals (esp lions, tigers, etc.), Star Wars, Legos, Jurassic World, and dinosaurs. He's starting to get that pre-teen attitude already with some talking back and thinking he makes the rules. Sigh. But he can be so sweet to his sister, speaks so intelligently/thoughtfully most of the time, and is becoming an awesome little guy. I just adore this kid.

Stats: 49", 56 pounds, size 1 shoe, size 7 (or small) clothes; favorite foods are shrimp and wonton soup; favorite color is blue.

Ben's birthday landed on a Friday, which is our weekly Dunkin Donuts day, so we started out there.

Then he headed to school, where he got to wear a birthday crown and his class sang him happy birthday. I had a half day, so my plan was to pick him up from school (rather than have him bused to Creative World like usual) and do something special, then get Liv and have dinner at a place of Ben's choice. But of course at noon daycare called to say Liv was sick, so there went those plans! :-)

Ben requested brownies instead of cake for his birthday, so Liv and I whipped him up a batch before we picked him up from school. Does this kid look sick---yeah...she's already learn how to manipulate the system.

That afternoon we went to Panera Bread for dinner at Ben's request (where Liv may or may not have spilled an entire strawberry smoothie on the carpeted floor minutes after we sat down, then proceeded to high-five and tell the kid who was lucky enough to get to clean up that mess that he was "totally awesome.")

When Dad got home, Ben opened presents from mom, dad, and Liv. Nerf bullets and another Nerf gun, a few PS4 games, and the much-asked-for Kindle Fire for kids.

That is a look of amazement as he opened the Kindle Fire, not disappointment. #hardtotell

The next day he had a party with 12 friends at Naperville Yard, where they do Nerf Wars. Ben picked out some crap at Party City for the gift bags (nerf-colored candy, some army toys, etc.), and that was about it for prep except ordering the cake. #mykindofparty

Ben was ready for the games to begin!

Before the Nerf war portion of the party, they played in a climbing tower and later played in inflatables.

 Trouble!!!

We wrapped it up with pizza and cupcakes and called it a day. I was more beat than the kids!

Happy birthday, Benny Boo.