Reed turned 5!

Do you like our new birthday banner that I made? I have always wanted one, so I made one out of stuff I had laying around. It was fun to make. I still want to make a couple of more additions to it.

Reed had his first birthday party last week. It was really fun. I love planning parties, and had a a lot of fun getting ready for it. I think the kids had a good time too. We had it Sat morning from 10-11:30. That was a perfect amount of time for little ones. It seemed to fly by.

When the kids got here, we started by making headbands using pipe cleaners for the antennae, and stick on foam bugs for the decorations. It was a good way to get things started while we waited for everyone to arrive.

After we finished that, we had the kids fish for bugs. I got a little wading pool, filled it up with water and bubbles, and put plastic bugs in it. We did it like a relay. There were two teams, and each one had a net. The first person would go down to the pool, scoop out a bug, then run back and give it to the next person. The first team to have everyone back, was the winner. The kids liked it, but I thought that they would have had more fun with it. I thought it was fun! :)

Then we took the kids to the front yard and played a couple of tag games. One was Bumble Bee. are you sleeping? One person is the bee. The kids all walk around the bee, asking, "Bumble Bee, are you sleeping?" The bees answers yes. You continue this a number of times, until you finally say NO! The bee stands up, and starts chasing the kids. The first person tagged then becomes the bumble bee. It was a fun game.

Next we played "Buzz, Buzz, Sting!" It is the same as Duck, Duck, Goose. Just the bumble bee edition.

After playing yard games, we gave each child a bug catching kit from the dollar store. We took them next door to the Johnston's backyard, where we had hidden bugs around the back yard. The picked them up with the tweezers from their kit, and put them in their bug catchers. They had fun catching bugs. This was a hit.

We did one craft. Each child made a caterpillar out of pom poms. I had them glue them onto long cinnamon sticks, that looked like a twig. Then they attached googly eyes.

Finally, it was time for cake and ice cream, and then opening presents. Reed was so excited about the presents that he got. He loved all of them! The other kids have been helping him enjoy them too.

Reed with his "Bug Mountain" Cake

Doesn't Uli like her is having a great time?

Now that is much better.

(Isn't this the cutest bug wrapping and card? My friend Stephanie did this. It was so cute, I almost didn't want him to open it.)

All in all it was a great party. Reed seemed to have a great time, which is why you do it. He better live it up, because who knows when he will get another one!

We sure love Reed, and are glad that he is a part of our family. He is a sweet heart, who likes to snuggle. I have a hard time sending him back to his bed when he sneaks onto my side at night. He is very curious, and ready to be a kindergartner. He likes music, is a great singer, and just a very sweet little boy.