He was a happy camper waking up to these fun decorations!
We get really fancy with birthday breakfasts around here. ;-)
Eve and I got Sonic after running to Costco and had a fun lunch date with the birthday boy! I was about 10 minutes late and I felt so bad and was getting WAY ticked at the incredibly slow Sonic workers, but Thad just had a big smile on his face when I got there and I didn't even have to ask for his forgiveness. He is the best!
Afterwards I picked Wes and Annie up from preschool, ran to H-E-B and the movie theater to buy tickets as a gift for him, and on the way home realized I did not manage my time well and I still needed to decorate the light saber sugar cookies to take up to his class in an hour (plus feed Wes and Eve lunch and lay them down for naps). I texted Kristen and, as usual, she came to my rescue! She did a perfect job decorating those cookies and saved my behind!
My neighbor Abby came to my rescue also and stayed at our house with Wes and Eve so I could go pass out cookies and be with the birthday boy without my little helpers. I know amazing people!
Thad soaked up every minute of being the birthday boy! (I think he might get that from his mama)
Cutest class and best teacher!
We could not have asked for a better first First Grade experience!
After school we headed home and waited for Tristan to come over for his very first "play date!"
I decided not to do parties this year and we don't invite friends from school over ever because there are so many kids in our cul-de-sac and I'm lazy and don't want to make arrangements or have other kids in my house waking up my nappers. First child problems.
I let him open presents periodically throughout the night and it worked out great! He would enjoy each one for a while and ask if he could open another...sure! Why not?! It's your birthday and you can do what you want to...and I don't have to throw a party, so do what you want to!
Grandma Cindy's gift came in the mail about 5 days before so he was most excited to open hers and it did not disappoint! 
Weirdest and best ever.
Tristan came and they did not waste any time and played their little hearts out. They had so much fun!
Wes and Eve had to get in on the saber action, of course!
We've all turned into Star Wars FANATICS over the past month as we watched Episodes 4, 5 and 6 as a family. Brian and I had never seen them all the way through and heard good things but just never had a reason to watch them. Thad has been asking about them a lot since The Force Awakens was released in December so we watched them and all fell in love...hence the birthday theme! We highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen them before!
Dinner and cake were next on the agenda and "noodles with white sauce" was what the birthday boy asked to be on the menu-
It's always so much fun to have a friend join in on the day-to-day with family!
Thad wanted a Star Wars cake, but most either had Darth Vader or storm troopers, so we had it frosted as a Vader cake, but made our own additions.
We think it turned out perfect!
Soon after it was time for Tristan to go and they were both bummed about it, but were so happy they got to spend the afternoon and evening together. One of those simple things that made our birthday boy feel on top of the world!
We turned on an NBA game to finish off the night and just let him know how much we truly love him!
This boy makes us so proud.
I thought about this moment A LOT that day-
and although I love all three of our precious babes the same, he holds that special "Made Me a Mama" place in my heart.
No joy has compared to the joy and love I felt the day I became a mom.
That day I realized how much more love my heart could hold for Brian, Thad and any other member of our family. February 11, 2009 was a REALLY good day!
7 Things We Adore about Thad:
7. That toothy-toothless smile. Never again on a birthday will he have a smile to compare to this one!
6. Big brother love. He loves Wes and Eve something fierce and is teaching them to have that same love for one another.
5. S-M-A-R-T. This boy is smart! It has been such a joy to watch him learn and understand things both academically and spiritually.
4. Tough but not tough. This boy acts like he is tougher than nails and a lot of times he is! But his heart is as tender as they come and he doesn't mind wearing his heart on his sleeve when it comes to those he loves. (i.e. He got teary eyed when he told Brian he had learned about diabetes at school and Brian said Great Grandpa Monsen has Type 2. That is real and it was adorable.)
3. He loves Utah SO MUCH! He cannot get enough of cousins and grandmas and grandpas in Utah and whenever we talk about moving he says he doesn't want to...unless we move to Utah!
2. Like father like son. When we were at the doctor for his check up she asked him what his favorite thing about first grade and he said, "Math." I know that makes Brian's daddy heart happy!
1. His kind heart. He got a report card a couple weeks ago with great marks, all above average, but the thing that made Brian and I the most proud was when she commented about how he is a leader and friend to everyone in class. She said he is always kind and a wonderful example to the class. Nothing else could make us happier.
With no party to plan we rounded out the weekend with The Force Awakens on Friday and a trip to the arcade on Saturday.
I'm teaching this boy well to PARTY HARD when it's your time to shine!
Haha! We love you so much Thaddeus McGonkus!
HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY!
