Happy! Happy! Birthday to A-man!

Some of you may be stopping by looking for our next Friday Baking post.  And if this was any normal Friday, your efforts would have been rewarded with a look into our Cookie # 5 for Father's Day.

But THIS.  THIS?  THIS isn't any normal Friday!  THIS.  TODAY.  Is A-man's 6th Birthday!!!  So Baking Friday - Cookie # 5 will just have to wait until tomorrow.  (Besides that, I was out of town much of this week, so my regular taste testers aren't getting their tasting until this morning anyway...but more on that later.)

For we have some birthday love to celebrate of this guy!

6.  Years.  Old.  Today.  Happy!  Happy!  Birthday A-man!

Here are the Top 5 Things We Love About A-man...

# 5 - He is the only person on the entire planet that I have ever ridden a camel with.  Even if I ever ride a camel with someone else, he will always remain the first person I ever rode a camel with.  Good time.

# 4 - A-man says that I'm not old.  He said it twice.  In one weekend.  The first time we were cuddling and we start to talk about his upcoming 6th birthday.  A-man asked, "What if I was 9?"  To which I said, "And you would be turning 10, you mean?"  A-man nodded, and I told him how I remember turning 10, because then I was in the double digits.  But then I said that was a LONG time ago, because I'm old now.  And right on cue, without even hesitating, A-man laughed and said, "You're not old!"  A similar story happened when we were walking out of church on Sunday and the idea of wrinkles came up.  He said I didn't have any.  So whether he is telling the truth or not, I gotta love this boy for saying the right things!

# 3 - A-man has quite the dramatic flair.  I have every reason to believe that Grandpa G and Grandma Deb will see this boy on stage as the lead actor one of these days.

Plus it simply takes a certain sense of dramatic confidence to pull off wearing a pair of Grandma Deb's shoes with such style.  I'm jus' sayin'...

# 2 - His love for his Grandpa G.

And the # 1 Thing We Love About A-man...

# 1 - The relationship he is building with his brother.  Little O-man had fallen on the porch step.  He wasn't really hurt; he was more scared and upset.  But it was A-man's love and attention that calmed O-man down and cheered him up the best.  A couple of whale crackers from A-man's T-ball snack were just about the perfect trick.  Nicely done, A-man!

Now for the Top 5 Things We Would Give A-man For His Birthday if Time, Money and Resources Were No Object...

# 5 - Chocolate Ice Cream.  Or more specifically a lifetime supply of Triple Chocolate Concretes from Andy's Frozen custard.  A-man said last weekend that he was "related to this" stuff and that he "was going to marry it."  I didn't get a pic of A-man's current bride to be, but here is A-man relishing a chocolate cone from the beloved Andy's last summer.  Think this pic in concrete form...and having that Triple Chocolate Concrete for supper!  Talk about celebrating your birthday a bit early!!

# 4 - A stage.  A-man's Grandma S gave him a recorder/microphone toy last year (that Mommy & Daddy just "loved" for about 5.3 minutes!), but A-man was singing and "on" with this toy!

So we would give him his very own real stage with an audience so he could be King of the Theater!

# 3 - A pond.  With fish.  And other living creatures.  Or, I guess, really we would give him his own personal ocean.  A-man loves to learn about living things like sharks and snakes and we're not entirely sure that we'd be able to fit all of those things into a pond.  So it would need to be an ocean.

Or more trips to Bass-Pro with Grandpa G and Grandma Deb.  It all works.  Right?

# 2 - Cousin Time.  A-man is not only a great big brother, he is also a really great big cousin to the K-man.  I'm sure he is also a great younger cousin to the ones on his Mommy's side, but I don't really have pictures of those, I'm sorry to say.  But we have this one from last Sunday.  I do believe that the K-man thinks that A-man is just about one of the coolest dudes.  Ever.  And K-man would be right, of course.

And the # 1 Thing We Would Give to the A-man for His Birthday if Time, Money and Resources Were No Object...

# 1 - A train just a bit faster than the one shown here, so he could hop in, push a button, wave good-bye to Mommy and Daddy and come visit us way more often!

OR - maybe a swing a bit bigger than this one...

...and a jet pack attached to these two suits...

...that would propel both of these guys safely to our house in just under 10 minutes - just long enough to give them a great ride, but just short enough (complete with tracking devices) so Mommy wouldn't worry for too long.

Happy!  Happy! 6th Birthday A-man!  We love you and loved seeing all of you last weekend!  We hope you have a GREAT day with Popsicles at school and celebrating this weekend!  You make 6 look good, buddy!