Happy 7th Birthday, Josh!

Josh was really excited about his birthday this year.  He counted down the days for two weeks and talked about it a lot.  He was kinda bummed about my friend birthday parties only on even numbered years, but he didn't put up too much of a fuss.

He did have a half dozen reasonable demands, though:

1. Triple chocolate chunk cookies for his class.
2. Pancakes and poptarts for breakfast.
3. Lance having lunch with him at school.
4. The kitchen decorated with streamers and balloons.
5. Tepanyaki for dinner.
6. Chocolate-peanut butter brownies instead of a cake.

Done and done, Josh.

I was really glad he was happy having cookies at school - they're much less messy than cupcakes and so much easier to transport!

Lance did most of the streamers this year.  For whatever reason he doesn't like to use tape but likes to hang them low so you have to duck when you're at the table.

Creepy doll head joined in on the action.  Like her crown and flag?  Josh sure did!

Pancakes and poptarts for breakfast - brimming with sugar and fat! (Josh's main diet staples.)  He had three pancakes and three poptarts that morning!  (Blech!)

Lance took the cookies to school and had lunch with Josh and his friends.  He seemed surprised to learn that first graders are brimming with bits of unnecessary information and non sequiturs.  

When Josh got home from school I let him open one of his presents, because I knew he'd have so much fun playing with it.  Walkie talkies!  Isn't that an awesome gift for a 7 year old?  I decided to spend a little bit more and get a good set that wouldn't just break after a few weeks.  It came with a set of three, so Josh, his friend Justin, and one other person could have fun.  They sure enjoyed them, although they kept standing right next to each other and talking. (I guess it's more fun that way...)

That night we went to Tepanyaki Buffet for dinner, Josh's absolute favorite.  We don't really go all that often, but I think we're all getting tired of it.  The kids only ate one meager plate of food each, and that night I wasn't feeling so great.  So I think we'll give the buffet a rest for several months.

At first Josh refused to look at the camera.  But this is a quintessential Spencer look. "Why do I have such a stubborn, immature brother?  I am so much older and grown up and mature.  Now time to eat the half-plate of Jell-o I chose for dinner."

Forcing him to look at the camera proved futile.

However, he was willing to look at the camera while in front of the fountain, but the pictures kept coming out blurry, dang it.

Do you like Cole's 5 o'clock chocolate pudding shadow?

Here are Josh's brownies.  I got the recipe online, and they turned out okay, but the chocolate frosting on top was a bit weird.  Not the most beautiful of birthday 'cakes',  but Josh seemed to like it!

Time to sing happy birthday!  I love how all of my kids now know how to sing this song - it's so cute.  Don't you also love how Spencer can't take a hint and keeps talking - LOUDLY - during the end of the video?  I kept swatting him, but you can't tell because he won't STOP TALKING.  Sheesh, Spence, I'm recording a precious memory here!

He wanted to open the birthday money from Great Grandpa John and Great Grandma Nancy first.  

More Colie and his 5 o'clock shadow.

Tess was so good in sitting still and watching Josh open presents.  Much better behaved than a certain oldest brother, who I had to tell - several times - NOT to open Josh's presents.

A 20 Questions game from Grandpa ElRay and Grandma Susie.  They also sent him an awesome BYU shirt, which didn't really interest Josh that much, but that's to be expected.  He'll be happy to have it when we take him to the BYU/Notre Dame game in November!  (Go Cougs!)

Ugh.  They also sent a Spongebob card.  That sings.  Good heavens, these kids love that card.  It's okay one time.  But not 376 times.  I think my ears are bleeding.

Then I showed them how you could hold the walkie talkie up to the card and it would blast the song to the other walkie talkies.  This was very well received.

What a cutie this boy is!

One more of the birthday creeper that Josh got such a kick out of.  

At the end of the evening we discovered a new way to entertain ourselves:

Bahahhahhaha!!!  Madsen humor, I guess.

At the end of our meal at Tepanyaki this was the fortune Josh found in his cookie, which he ironically shoved right in my face and yelled at me to read.

Despite that incident, Josh truly is quite charming when he wants to be.  And he definitely is my most courteous child - again, when he wants to be.  Josh has a great sense of humor and a strong love and devotion for his family and friends.  I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this sweet little boy of mine.  Happy 7th birthday, Josh!