Leap Year 2012 - Happy REAL Birthday Joseph

It's fun to be married to a guy who only has a real birthday every 4 years. It gives me an excuse to go all out when he has a real day to celebrate. His last real birthday, in 2008, he was very very sick, so all celebrations were cancelled. Sad day. So, I was very excited to do a big 8 Year Old Bash this year! He turned 32, but it was only his 8th Birthday. We decided to celebrate by renting out Pump It Up (a bounce house full of gigantic inflatable slides, obstacle courses, and other things) for a couple of hours and inviting our family who lives close by....all of which have kids our kid's ages...all of which are very fun to hang out with...all of which acted like children right along with the real children. It was tons of fun.

We started off his birthday morning with a nice breakfast of cold cereal. ;) The plan was to make him a nice breakfast, but instead I was awoken by my two girls crying because Rebekah had peed her bed, which woke Kaitlyn up, and then when I got her, I realized she had somehow peed out of her diaper and soaked her bed as well. So, instead we started off the day with pee everywhere and cold cereal for breakfast. Good thing Joseph is so patient. :) The kids were so excited to give Joseph the gifts they had picked out for him that they begged him to open them before he left for work.

After a pretty normal day, which included making cupcakes for Daddy, we convinced Joseph to leave work a little early and he made it home just in time to swing by Culver's for a fancy family dinner before heading over to Pump It Up to bounce the night away.

After lots of bouncing, laughing, racing, and sliding, we said goodbye to our family and friends and went home and Daddy blew out 8 candles and we scarfed down some delicious chocolate cupcakes before bed. The kids were happy. Joseph was happy. It was a great day to celebrate Joseph. He is the best man I know....and so accomplished for an 8 year old! :) Happy 8th Joseph. We sure do adore you.

The kids wanted to pick out some games to get for Joseph to play with them. He loves gifts that he can share with the kids so this was a great idea. 

Rebekah takes after her Mana....chocolate is her life. :) Joseph also loves chocolate, so Rebekah and I made double chocolate chip cupcakes and she watched them bake the entire time. She pulled that chair over herself. So cute. I just love that girl.

This was about halfway through the day when all she wanted to do was play Candyland (the game she had chosen for Joseph). She was exasperated that we had to wait for Daddy to play it the first time since it was his present. :)

Cupcakes in the shape of 8! 

I think I climbed that slide about 25 times while holding Kaitlyn. It was her favorite part!

Joseph liked this obstacle course....in fact, he and I raced through it and at 5 months pregnant...I almost beat him. I tried to cheat...it didn't work. :) 

Joseph and his friend Toby, had fun in this bounce house. They really were like two 8 year olds in there. 

Birthday Boy!

This is my niece, Charla. She is my age, so the kids call her Aunt Charla. Kaitlyn looooooves her. They spent a lot of time together that night. 

Happy Birthday to you!

The loot! I got Joseph all of his documents and recent family pictures framed for his office at work. The nerf gun is from our friends who came to the bounce house. We have had some serious fun with that thing! Thank you Baum Family!