Five

In an effort to keep Turner's birthday separate from Christmas, I am sliding this blog post in before tomorrow:)  

Turner's golden birthday was this year.  He was 5 years old on the 5th, and decided months ago that he wanted a Pirate party.  I didn't know what to make of that, and luckily he wasn't very picky.  So some time in October, we decided to combine his love of swimming with said pirate party and went with it!

Our gym has an indoor pool that we have been loving since Lifetime opened.  So why not have a pool party in December?  Here were some of his guests at the beginning of the party.  Cousin Chloe was the only girl!

Good thing she brought her dad to help lifeguard.  

Heath and Pop Pop were also recruited to be extra lifeguards, to ensure moms wouldn't have to get in the pool:)

This year we decided to invite the boys from his class and just a couple of other friends in an effort to keep the chaos down.  We had the party on a Thursday afternoon because it was his real birthday and weekends are crazy this time of year.  We were missing some family from other cities, but it was our first "friend" party and made Turner seem so much older!

The little water bugs played,

and played

and played!

Lifetime was so helpful and provided a party planner and assistant to help run the party.  Again a relief to watch from the side instead of my usual post in the water!  They went swimming with them and then had games and contests perfect for our crowd!

He was thrilled with how it turned out.  But I will say, he is like a puppy dog most of the time.  Doesn't take much to please him:)

And I think I have said before John Burke is more like a cat:)  Taking it all in, you have to earn his love!  Good thing he approved of the party as well.

After about an hour, our party director led us down the hall to the party room in the gym.  I am sure that was a sight for gym patrons:)

We had pizza and brownies.  Turner won't touch cake, cupcakes or even doughnuts for that matter.  Didn't get that from me...

And then, as if they were not tired enough, we brought out a pirate pinata.

  

 Insanity!  They were able to grab their candy, place it in their treasure boxes and run out the door with their moms.  Hope they all slept well that night!  Surely!

 This pirate princess enjoyed some loot as well!

 And we ended the party sliding across the floor.  Perfect for these pirate brothers!  Thank you, Lifetime for a fun and easy party (for me...maybe not the rest of the gym:))  I highly recommend them!

"I can't believe I am REALLY five!"  I promise you he has said this statement every single day for the last 19 days since he has turned 5.  For some reason, this birthday has been a major milestone for him.  I cannot even count how many times he has walked up to strangers or commented to waitresses "I used to be 4, and then turned 5!"  And his face lights up like this picture.

I can't get enough of my sweet five year-old.  He is getting older and seems like such a big boy (most of the time).  I am very proud of how kind and easy going he is, and of how much he is learning and enjoying school and his friends.  He is such a blessing and I can't believe it has already been five years!  

And, because it IS Christmas Eve...

Merry Christmas!  

"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor; Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  Isaiah 9:6