Bronson's Fourth Birthday

We have officially kicked off birthday season at our house starting with my little Buster.  I can't believe he is already four!!!  Next year he will start Kindergarten and he is one of the babies.  I hate, hate, hate that they are growing up so fast, but I am enjoying every single minute of it.

Right now, Bronson has a little Jake and the Neverland Pirates obsession, hence the cake:

He has been telling everyone he meets that he is now four.  He is so proud.

He really wanted to go bowling for his birthday, and we just so happened to have a Fat Cats gift card, so wish granted. 

And of course, we all came along for the ride. 

Have I ever mentioned how seriously impossible it is to get a picture of six kids and have them all look at the camera and smile normally.... never going to happen.

Fat Cats is great for the little ones because they have these: 

And because they have those, we decided to let Whitlee bowl for the first time in her life. 

She pretty much thought it was the funnest thing she had ever done in her life... which unfortunately made her fall completely apart every time it wasn't her turn.  Not to mention, she insisted on carrying her own ball everywhere, which was fun...

These two are pretty awesome and it never ceases to amaze me how their scores stay neck and neck for the entire game... twins...

Zac took steroids before we left or something because he had FOUR strikes in a row!!!  Usually when I bowl with him, he is lucky to break 100, but man did he nail it on this trip.  To be fair, the bowling alley accidentally had the bumpers up for his turn and not mine, though he swears up and down that he didn't use them. 

And then there is this goof, who also loves to bowl. 

And I am so sad because I didn't get a picture of Charlotte!!  It is so hard living a moment through a camera sometimes that I forget to get key shots, but I am always glad later when I did take pictures.

Since Bronson's birthday was on a Sunday, we went bowling Saturday night so that we didn't have to break the Sabbath.  Sunday morning Bronson woke up to a trail of Gold Doubloons and a treasure map, which led him on a hunt all over the house to collect his pirate gear. 

The hunt itself was just as great of a present as any of the presents he received.  He loved it!

It finally landed him at a real treasure chest in our living room, where all of his presents were hidden: 

Whitlee helped me make him a Lego kit.  We laminated 20 or so cards with different Lego patterns and put all of the blocks he needed to make the patterns in a carrying case.  He LOVES it. 

Ashlyn and Ian went in to buy him a bouncy ball that you ride on. 

Tanner got him a Sheriff gun and handcuff set, and Charlotte got him a model pirate ship.

Sunday night we had some family out and we all sang to Bronson and ate cake and ice cream. 

He picked out his own candles in the store, unbeknownst to himself that they were trick candles and of course that is always grounds for a good laugh.

Grandma and Grandpa Martineau fed the Super Hero obsession with this cool hoodie! 

10 Things I Love About Bronson

1.  He really, really, really likes technology.  If we let him, he would play phones, computers, lap tops, wii, etc.  All day long and he is really good at it.  Fortunately, we have rules in place about earning time to play it and limiting screen time and he is not a junkie.... yet.

2.  He is a gentleman and loves to hold doors for people.  Sometimes we will be the last ones into Sacrament Meeting despite arriving 10 minutes early just because he had to stand and hold the door for every single person.  

3.  He loves Mac 'n Cheese.  He could eat that stuff EVERY DAY and he never gets sick of it.

4. He loves Super Heroes and Jake and the Neverland Pirates more than anything right now and loves to dress up like his favorites.

5. He loves preschool and library preschool and those are the favorite things he looks forward to every week.

6. He LOVES to pray.  He wants to be the one to say a prayer for every meal, family prayer, bed time prayer, FHE prayer, etc.  He cries if he doesn't get picked to say the prayer.

7.  He loves to ride bikes.  He adores playing with his brothers and sisters and would be lost without them.  He is often orchestrating games where he is Jake (the pirate), Charlotte is Izzy, and poor Whitlee always has to be Cubby.  He also just learned to catch a football and gets involved in many games of football with his brothers where he even jumps right in and tackles them.

8. He is his dad's BUD.  He has Zac wrapped around his little finger and often ends up sleeping in our room, "Cuz' Dad's my bud and he needs me."  He wants to be just like his dad when he grows up and misses him sorely when he is gone.

9.  He wants to be a scout so badly.  He has his own scout shirt and begs to participate in the flag ceremonies at Pack meetings.

10.  He is very loving and is often telling us we are all special.  Even though I try to get him to say he is "my" boy, he is very diplomatic, always telling me he loves mom and dad.  He makes my heart melt because he still holds my hand and gives me loves goodnight.  He also loves his Savior and is very inquisitive about Jesus, Heavenly Father, and Heaven.  He wants to choose the right and is often looking for ways to help around the house.

We love our little Buster... though are days are numbered for being able to call him little anymore :(