two new five-year-olds

I didn't anticipate how exited James and Kate would be about turning 5. Maybe because so many kids at their school turned 5 in September or maybe just because it's an age where you understand birthdays and want to be big. In any case, James and Kate have been talking about turning 5 for weeks. Kate counted down the days from 10 to her birthday. We celebrated as a family last night, their actual birthday. They will be having a party next Saturday.

Kate requested a penguin cake:
James kept changing his cake request and, since Ben and I decided to make a big bucket of Legos his main present, I surprised him with a Lego cake. He was most excited that he could use the decorative Legos after the cake had been eaten.
This is their expression as Ben walked into the living room with a new hermit crab for them. (Truth be told, he came in with two, but we quickly discovered that one of them had died -- something we probably should have checked before the delivery. Oops!)
Examining the family's new pet. This new guy is in a shark shell, like our prior hermit crab, so he got the same name. Bruce.
Birthday dinner of Hawaiian Haystacks.
James with the "You Are Special" plate - a tradition we just began yesterday but hope to use with all of our kids for many future special reasons to celebrate.
And Kate with a celebratory red plate as well. (One plate is borrowed from my mom.)
I think this might be a fun, though unhealthy, birthday tradition as well. . .

Happy birthday, Kate and James!!!