For the last several months before their birthday, if you asked Paden how old he was, he would say, "I'm four-five." And he really believed that. Just like when he was turning 4. I kept telling him he was going to be 4 and he would say, "NO! I'm already 4!" And when I told him he wasn't, he quickly pulled me into the bathroom, hopped on the scale and said, "Uh-huh! SEE!" and sure enough, the scale pointing at the 4. Never mind that it had a zero right after it!
Anyway, so the story of their birthday this year... Or, at least, the lead in for now...
A month before their birthday, our fabulous friend, Nana Lois, fell and broke her ankle. She had surgery and ended up in the Peaks, a place they don't call a nursing home, but for all intents and purposes, that really is what it is, only they take young people in too, as necessary. So, we would go and spend our days with Nana Lois. Either at the Peaks, or going with her to Dr. appointments and such. Well, after a month of being there, she'd had enough. And she started to get a little edgy. Understandably! She will be 85 on January 9 and has been alone since the love of her life, Clyde, passed away 12 years ago. She is very strong and independent and someone I would like to be like when I grow old. (Not that she's old or anything...) And so it was on the day of their party...Now, Porter had told Andy he wanted a surprise party for his birthday. He had been to one this summer for a 50th birthday of our friend Carol and wanted to have lots of people at his party like she did. So, I texted the moms of some of their friends about a week before and told them it was a surprise party at Peter Piper Pizza. So the day of the party comes and after we spent a few hours with Nana Lois, we went to Sam's Club and picked out a cake. Porter and Paden got very excited and asked, "Is that our birthday cake!" Well, not wanting to give anything away, I answered, "It's for Nana Lois. We are going to take her some cake to make her happy." They sighed, but when I assured them she would share with them, they were fine. So, we hurried home, I gathered things together, we picked up Andy and Tallin and hurried in to town. When we arrived at the party, they were astonished... "WOW! Aubrey's here! The Poulters are here! The Cains are here! Look! There's Amy! Heath's here too! And Hailey! And Cooper! Look! There's Bayleigh and John! Where's Makayla?" They were so excited. They ran off and played with all their friends. The pizza arrived and then it was time to sing "Happy Birthday" and blow out the candles. It was "the" cake. Porter had 5 candles on one side and Paden had 5 on the other. As soon as we were finished singing, I reminded them to make a wish and blow! Paden got his out in a flash, but Porter was a little more contemplative. And with a final huff, he blew them all out... Andy and some of the parents worked on cutting the cake while I took the kids over to the opposite end of the table and we opened presents. I think everyone knows my boys really well. Nerf guns! A fun "meat-ball" game, walkie-talkies, and jumping bugs, balls, and more! Woo!Hoo! (They have kept them very busy! Thanks everyone!)We went back to the cake as soon as the presents were opened and stashed for later use... I started over to the crowd and Porter came up to me, grasping me by the arm and very compassionately asked, "Mom, didn't Nana Lois want her cake to make her happy?" WOW! I was speechless. This little boy is so thoughtful. I smiled and said, "Oh, I had to trick you and tell you that so it would be a surprise." His eyes got HUGE, his face lit up and he exclaimed, "A SURPRISE!!! That's what I always wanted!" As I gave him a hug he continued, "That's what I wooshed for on my cake!" The humility of a child! While at his surprise birthday party, blowing out his candles on the very cake he was going to take to an elderly woman to bring her happiness, he wished for a surprise party! I'm glad I could help make his wish come true!
