Grayson's 7th Birthday

Here we are jumping rope....
Playing with Magformers... so fun.
Gray and his 2 birthday cakes.
Cotton Candy for the birthday party.
these pics were taken in the dark... with my flash. Gray made a beard, Braydon made a mustache.
Gray rocking our while waiting for the performance of the live nativity- with his friend.

While we were on vacation in Utah, Grayson turned 7!!! We started the day with Gray's favorite breakfast... scrambled eggs and pancakes and bacon. He was in heaven. Then we went out into the snow and spent the morning on sleds and tubes and snowboards. we then came in and had lunch. Cheese pizza for Grayson, make by his 2 Aunts- Heather and Kareena. His favorite. Thanks Aunt Heather and Kareena!!! It was so delicious. Then we had cakes- 2 for Gray, of course. Aunt Michelle gave Gray a coin sorter... so cool! Grandma M. gave him a moon night light that goes through the different phases- way cool! Grandma K. Gave him a hot wheels set, we have been playing with it all day- so fun. From mom and dad, he got a brand new BMX trick bike. He loves it. It has been to cold and wet to try it out, but he can't wait. That night for dinner, Gray chose Hawaiin Haystacks. Rice and chicken... his favorites. then we played Vampire in the dark (a version of hide and go seek in the dark)- this is a new tradition to play with the family. Then Grandma handed out glow sticks and we played in the dark with the glow sticks for a good 20 minutes. Then Auntie Michelle (who knows how to throw a party) brought her cotton candy machine and we all had yummy cotton candy... but the night didn't end there... the kids got out jumpropes and spent almost 2 hours jumping together. Then to end the night in style... we did the spanking machine!!! All 30 of us lined up and sent Gray crawling through the spanking machine. He loves this tradition, I think we have been doing this since he was born, as we have been in Utah for every one of his birthdays!!

I cannot believe Gray is 7 years old. I remember the day he was born, like it was yesterday. I remember the chubbiest set of cheeks I have ever seen. His blessing day, that he shared with his cousin, Braydon, who was born a few weeks ahead of him. I remember how much he loved to jump. Constantly. We got him a Johnny-Jump-Up and kept him in there until he was a year old. It was his favorite. And he could really get some air!! I remember him learning to walk... when he was almost 1 year old, in the airport, waiting on a delayed flight, walking across the airport to mom. And he never stopped. From that point on, he was a walker. Grayson has always been a jokester. His teacher laughs and laughs when she tells me stories of the things he says in class. She told me that she can see the wheels turning in his head when she says something, and then he waits for just the right moment to shoot off a punch line. He keeps us laughing at home, also. He is the king of jokes. He loves his sisters. So much. I am so blessed to have him care so much for his sisters. He takes care of them, always. We have always stressed that he is supposed to protect his sisters, and he does. They are all best friends. Livee loves to cuddle with Gray. She will cuddle with him whenever he asks. He is always willing to help her with anything. Gray has a thing about "cakes". Last year, we bought a pie for him and a cake for everyone else. This year, he has kind-of sort-of started to like cake... a little. So, he asked for a cheese cake (his favorite) for him and a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting for everyone else. He did, however, eat a piece of cake and a piece of cheese cake. Gray is a picky eater. Super picky. He doesn't like frosting, salt, chips, mac'n'cheese, tortilla's, burritos, spaghetti, or tomatoes- to name a few things. He is really particular. He does like boiled chicken, vanilla yogurt, oatmeal, malt-o-meal, Meat, bacon, potatoes, rice, noodles- plain- and every fruit and vegetable known to man!! Because I am a bit of a picky eater, myself, I cannot ever make him eat things that he does not like. So the rule at our house is 5 bites of whatever I have prepared and then you can have a Peanut Butter sandwich. The girls usually eat everything and anything, so the rule generally only applies to him and me, but he has gotten really good at taking the 5 bites without crying (most of the time).

I love my Gray. He is so tender hearted and always gives the best hugs in the world. He loves to cuddle and talk and talk and talk. I love our nightly talks when I tuck him in. I sometimes wonder if he thinks all day long about questions he can ask at bed time. We lay on his bed and talk about the world and the scriptures and bugs and space and school and family, whatever is on his mind. I love that special time with him.

He is such a good kid. I am happy that he is mine. I love you, Gray!! Happy 7th Birthday.