Ben is 8!

I can hardly believe that Ben is 8!  Where has the time gone?  Somehow overnight he turned from 

this

to this!  

Ben enjoyed his special day.  He opened up his cards before he went to school.  He was so excited about his $20 bill sent from Uncle Rob and Aunt Di (even more excited than the $50 check from Nana and Boo).  After school he opened up the rest of his presents before we headed off to Red Robin for dinner.  Perhaps his favorite gift of all was his handmade Harry Potter doll from Grandma Gillett.  It was a special request of his!  It was quite the task for her to pull off.....she would have been proud when Jacob yelled, "Harry Potter" the minute he saw it.  I made sure to take pictures and am determined to remember to share the story of his "doll request" for his 8th birthday at his wedding someday!      

After Red Robin we headed home for Ben's very first ice cream cake.  It was good!

After all the festivities were over, Ben told me I could now have the baby!  I'm still waiting.....  

It is truly a joy to have Ben in our home.  He is such a good brother and is adored by his little brother especially.  Here is one of my favorite pictures of the two of them...Ben and his little shadow.  Ben's math teacher summed up Ben's personality perfectly after only one week of school when she said, "Oh, Ben.  So sweet, kind, polite and oh so particular!"