Colton's 4th Birthday Celebration Weekend

Colton's celebrating started Friday, April 8th.  He spent the day helping me shop, clean, bake cupcakes, prepare stuff for his party, and was seriously so helpful.  That afternoon for Mommy-Colton time, we cuddled together on the couch and spent quite a while looking back at old videos and photos of him the past four years.  We both loved it!  That evening, after Daddy got home from work, we had his choice (macaroni and cheese) for dinner, birthday donuts, and opened presents.

Here is a collection of raw, unedited clips of Colton opening each of his presents - it's nothing special, but I like remembering the things he liked, how he talks, his personality, and just the memory of it all, so I included it here :).



That evening after the kids were in bed, Grandma and Grandpa T and Uncle Javonte arrived to spend the weekend with us.  That next morning, Saturday April 9th, was his birthday party.

Colton's birthday party was at the Minnesota Air National Guard Museum in one of their hangars.  We were grateful that so much of Colton's extended family, as well as 8 of his little buddies and their parents, could join us on the tour of the grounds, which included seeing many airplanes and going inside quite a few.   Besides seeing, climbing in, and learning about all sorts of airplanes, we brought along Colton's train tracks and set them up in the hangar so he and his friends could play trains at the party too.  After exploring, playing, and the tour, we had a Mexican style lunch of chicken tacos and carnitas, sang to Colton, and ate cupcakes.  Finally, we climbed to the top floor and looked out over the airport with binoculars to see the planes landing and taking off.  It truly was the perfect party for our little airplane lover!  Here are a few pictures:

This was Colton's favorite plane

Playing trains

Its hard to capture in a picture, but the hangar where we ate and had the party was FILLED with planes the kids could climb in and on.

Lunch!  (Shout out to Grandma Kirkwood for bringing the massive fruit salad!)

Birthday boy with his lunch

The events coordinator made tablecloths to look like runways

The fam!

Video of Singing to Colton:

Colton has already had so much fun playing with his Toy Story figurines!

He also got the three toy story DVDs, Cars II, a favorite car from the movie, and his first transformer.

He loves his Mater shirt and it was pretty cute how he exclaimed over the plaid shorts that came with it ;)

Colton got the coolest soccer gear, including a LIGHTNING MCQUEEN soccer ball and special bag, as he will start soccer in less than a month!

He was SO excited to get Jeremy the Jet plane and many of the trains from the Thomas the Train series.

He was also THRILLED with getting Tidmouth Sheds, where Thomas the train and friends are housed.

Colton's birthday was perfectly suited for our special little boy, and we are so grateful for all the friends and family that came to celebrate, the generous and thoughtful gifts (seriously you guys KNOW our little guy and what he loves!) and for the opportunity to make our favorite middle kid feel so special on his big day.

Colton's final celebration was the next day, his actual birthday, when he got his door decorated with streamers, got breakfast in bed, and after church he got his birthday meal of hotdogs and macaroni and cheese, and a special Thomas ice cream cake from Grandma and Grandpa T.  He spent the rest of the day playing with his new toys!

 Video of Breakfast in Bed:

Birthday Lunch

Icecream cake from Grandma and Grandpa T

Birthday playtime...combining his new and old planes, trains, and cars ... in heaven...with Grandpa T :)

What a full and special weekend!  Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make it that way, and for all the pictures people took and sent so I could include them here :).  We love you all, and Colton, you are a really special dude.  Happy 4th birthday, bud!