Brigham's Bug Birthday

Brigham is five! This morning I asked him what he was going to do today and he said, "Um, I'm either gonna catch a bug or a squirrel. . . maybe a bird." Then he put on his goggles and headed out into the backyard. All year long, Brigham had a pretty standard morning routine. He was always the first one up and ready. Then during the hustle and bustle, Brigham would disappear into the backyard to do two things: "Check the winter" - yelling back into the house to tell us if we needed jackets or not. And hunt for bugs. When it was time to go, he was always nowhere to be found (except sometimes we'd see him streak by the side yard window). We'd call and call until he'd come running in with handfuls of roly-polies and snails (and mud) which he'd unload in piles on the kitchen table with last-minute instructions for me to take care of his "pets" while he was gone. Then he'd race out the door to catch up to Nate and the other boys. So this year, at Brigham's request, we had a "bug party" to celebrate his fifth birthday. And what an awesome five years it has been! Brig is the best! If I could describe him with a single phrase it would be "a million miles an hour". He may be small but he is fast. He talks fast. He moves fast. He reads fast. He thinks fast. And he's growing up (way too) fast. Brigham is constantly one step ahead of me. So watch out world! Brigham is five. . . But only for as long as you can keep up with him!
We celebrated Brigham's birthday by making "buggy brownies", showering him with buggy birthday presents, and visiting the zoo in search of bugs (and other "pets"). . . and by taking a million pictures. Because any less just wouldn't do for my million-mile-an-hour Brigham.
THE ZOO

Brigham found lots of pets at the zoo. And if he could have, he would have taken them all home with him.

The boys played in these forever.


Love that kid!


Ha! I love this picture. I had a good laugh days later when I noticed Isaac's hilarious elephant attack pose for the first time. I like safari-Nate in the background too.
The boys tried talking to every snake in the reptile house - just like Harry Potter.

And of course no trip to the zoo would be complete without cotton candy.

THE BROWNIES

Didn't these buggy brownies turn out so cute??
We started with a ton of candy, brownie bites, and green frosting. Clayton discovered that squished Starbusts make great bug bodies. We all copied his idea.
And helped ourselves to lots of candy as we went.
Eliza watched and played with the balloons. She had candy for the first time and spit out every single piece. Clearly she does not have my sugar gene.

THE PRESENTS

Briggy got lots of presents including a few homemade Lego creations from Clayton, favorite books from our own bookshelf from Isaac, a pair of aviator goggles, a bug-hunting safari vest, a magnetic toy boat from grandma, and a bug habitat where you can grow your own ladybug larvae. Lucky kid.

Happy birthday Briggs. I honestly can't think of a better bug-hunting five-year-old.




We love you, kiddo.

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