Happy 6th Birthday, Owen!

A very happy birthday to our 6 year old!!  Although another year older, one thing has remained the same...Owen's love for dinosaurs.  So of course, he had to have yet another dinosaur birthday party (for the 3rd time in a row!)  My boy sure loves dinosaurs!

Owen's dino decor

More dinosaur decorations

 
On the morning of his birthday, Owen woke up anxious to get the party started.  And he wasn't willing to wait until 11:00 am when he guests arrived to open his first present.  So we had a mini-celebration that morning to keep the birthday boy happy.  He had seen a surprise birthday party thrown on TV and he had told me (several times) that he really wanted everyone to hide and surprise him at his party.  So I had Owen run upstairs to get something while Cole, Shane and I hid.  He was pretty confused when he came downstairs and didn't see anyone.  So when we jumped up and yelled surprise, we really did surprise him!  He ripped open his first gift and spent the rest of the morning setting up his new dinosaur set.

It wasn't before long Nana and Popi Slominski arrived with the cake.  With the boys' new gluten-free/dairy-free diet, it was a bit of a challenge to find a bakery that could accommodate their needs, but luckily there is a gluten-free bakery pretty close to Nana and Popi Slominski's house.  So they graciously picked it up for us.  Owen was excited to taste test the frosting on his dinosaur cake.

The guests trickled in and soon the party was in full swing.  Owen had fun playing, eating his favorites (pizza, grapes and strawberries!), and opening many wonderful gifts!

Owen and cousin Jaden playing with his new dinosaur set

"Umm, umm.  What could be better than gluten-free/dairy-free "cheese" pizza and fruit?"

"Just what I wanted!!"

"It's mine...all mine."

Owen opening his gifts

Soon it was time to play "Pin-the-skull-on-the-dinosaur-skeleton".  Owen went first and after putting it exactly where it was supposed to go, admitted that he could see under the mask! 

The other kids (both young and old) took a shot to see who could get the closest. 

Aunt Laura helping Jaden

Cole shocked at how close he got

Owen trying his hardest to see under the mask

Great Nana Dineen taking a turn at the game

Uncle James taking his turn

Then came time for the pinata.  Since we don't have a good pinata hanging tree in our yard, I volunteered Shane to be the "tree" and hold the pinata for the kids.  Luckily for Shane, it was a pull-string pinata!  The kids had fun pulling one string after another...

Owen pulling the first string

Jaden taking a turn

Cole's turn to pull a string

Aunt Jer and Cullen seeing if they got the lucky string

The kids kept pulling string after string until finally, Casey found the string that pulled the trap door of the pinata open and out came the candy...

Cole wasted no time grabbing a piece of taffy that fell out of the pinata and stuffing it in his mouth. 

"This is delicious!!"

And then we were on to the cake (as if candy wasn't enough sugar for the day!)  Owen enjoyed everyone singing him "Happy Birthday" and happily blew out all the candles.  Notice his dinosaur friends that he didn't want to leave out of his birthday party festivities...

Owen listening the his guests sing Happy Birthday

Blowing out the candles

Digging into the dino cake

Owen, how is it that another year has passed so quickly.  You have really turned into a boy of many facts, spouting off any and everything you would ever want to know about dinosaurs.  And your stories...oh my, your stories!  They are full of so much detail and imagination and they go on and on and on.  You are a boy of many, many words! 

But your creativity isn't only in the stories you tell.  It flows through in nearly everything you do, from your one-of-a-kind works of art to the way you are constantly inventing new ways to play with your toys.  You are always busy learning something new.  You take such great pride in your accomplishments, whether its a beautiful drawing or a new skill you've mastered.  And you always show off your work with a big beaming smile on your face.

You love LOVE dinosaurs: playing with dinosaurs, watching dinosaur documentaries, drawing dinosaurs, and going anywhere we can to see dinosaurs.  When we walked into the Science Museum's dinosaur exhibit for the first time, your face glowed with excitement as you reached out your arms and exclaimed "My dream came true!"

"My dream came true!" Owen at the Science Museum

Owen's drawing of Jurassic Park

You are such a caring, kind little guy and are so generous with your hugs and kisses.  You are the best cuddlier and love to cuddle in the morning and at nighttime before bed.  Speaking of which, you were finally able to conquer your fear of sleeping alone, and as I type this, are sleeping soundly in your own bed, in your own room, all by yourself! 

The anticipation of your 6th birthday has been filled with mixed emotions.  The months leading up to your birthday you were brimming with excitement at the thought of your party and lots of new presents.  But as your birthday grew closer and your mind thought deeper, feelings of grief and loss pushed aside the excitement and saddened your precious soul. 

At the ripe old age of 6, you have a solid grasp on what it means to have been adopted.  To gain the family you have now, you had to lose the family you had before.  While we have had many talks and shared many tears about your birth mother over the years, your 6th birthday was a reminder that your birth mama couldn't be with you on this very special day...the day you were born.  It breaks my heart to see you in such pain.  I wish I could take your sadness away.  But I know I can't.  So I do what I can, wrapping you up in my arms, giving you lots of hugs and kisses, and telling you over and over again how very loved you are because you are loved to the moon and back, by not just one mom, but two.