A birthday......

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Earlier this month we celebrated the birth of Parklen.......(I am WAY behind on posts and photos)

His birthday is always very emotional for me, as is the case with each child's birthday that we celebrate....but a little more so with Parklen than the rest.  I believe that the extreme cases of health and crisis that have followed this boy are what makes each May 5th something so emotional. 

Every year I vividly recall his first hospital visit.....every year I perfectly vision each illness, surgery and procedure he has had.  Every time I voice the words, "Happy Birthday Parklen." the tears well up.  I have said it many times before......but it is important that I never forget.....there was a time when we were unsure of the duration this young mans life would have.  There were moments when we were nearly convinced that he would not be with us for long......

So, when Parklen turns five.....its a big deal.....in so many many ways. 

This year was the first time he wasn't the baby........he is now a five year old BIG brother.....a job that he takes very seriously, and loves very much. 

It was crazy around the time of his birthday.....I had just given birth to his sister.....and we were preparing for a trip down to Denver for treatments.....I could have easily forgone the party....but come one, I would never do such a thing.

So we celebrated him on his actual birthday with candles, a movie and dinner......and then a week later celebrated with his friends!

If I haven't mentioned it before....let me tell you that Parklen is completely obsessed with Lego Batman......its a video game he has beat all by himself (you can blame weeks and weeks of extreme illness and the inability to get up at all for that one)  He carries the tiny Lego batman figures around with him......talks about little else.  So of course "Lego Batman" was the perfect party choice.

It was the least amount of effort I have ever put into a party for the boys....I was tired, really really tired.....that's life.  But, he still felt special and him and his friends still had a ton of fun!

 Yes I know.....bats don't really have tails.......but..........

 Parky and his friends had to use squirt guns to free a tiny batman from a huge block of ice.......
                                                           Got him......

 I made this cake.....instead of doing a bunch of decorating I ordered the edible pic off of Amazon

 The batman brothers.....let me just say, the boys have decided to grow their hair out...something that they are given control of......and it is driving Devan insane.....I am truly surprised that he hasn't shaved their heads in the middle of the night as they sleep......The fact that it makes him so crazy, is probably the deciding factor to the boys to keep on growing......

 And with that.....we have a five year old Parklen........where does the time go?!?!?!?!?

A fifth birthday is the perfect oppurtunity to be thankful for his medical treatment....for his doctors, nurses, medicine......the perfect oppurtunity to remember that he is nothing more than an incredible gift from God!!!  A perfect chance to say Thank you for our special miracle who has defied odds, beaten expectations and warmed so many hearts......

Heres to you, our stubborn, amazing, strong, brave, handsome, funny, loud, crazy and special boy.

We love you always Parky!

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