B's Indoor Pool Party

Yesterday we had Brayden's 8th Birthday Party at the Allen Natatorium, a local indoor pool.  He had a GREAT time, but boy was it stressful! I usually love planning parties, but yesterday was different. I'm not for sure if it's because I am out of the "party planning groove" or if it's because my anxiety level is now heightened over every little thing. I was a nervous wreck leading up to the big event. . .worrying if we would have enough pizza, cookie cake, drinks, party favors, RSVP's at the last minute, etc. . . you name it, I was worried about it, times a hundred.

Shortly before we left, I couldn't help but think about lil Ava and how this would have been her first time to be introduced to a swimming pool. I went into her room and got out her swimsuit that she most likely would have worn yesterday. I hugged it tight up against my chest and imagined my lil girl wearing her cute lil swimsuit with her chubby lil swim diaper covering her bottom.

Would she have liked the water and all the splashing? As we visited our lil princess today after church, J and I imagined how yesterday would have been, had Ava been with us. J mentioned playing in the water with her, splashing around and B was quick to say "she probably wouldn't have even been IN the water because it's too germy and we wouldn't want her to be around all the germs."  Another example of what a protective (maybe too over protective) Big Brother he would have been. =)We also teased B that Ava more than likely would have been the "hit" of the party and he probably wouldn't have gotten as much attention from the girls if she would have been there. =)

As much worrying as I did, B's party turned out to be a big success and everything went as smoothly as it could.  A special thank you to my parents and good friend, Kristyn for helping us out, we could not have done it without ya'll!!!  Here are a few pictures from all the fun. . .

(not everyone in the pic is apart of our party)

B and some of his buddies floating down the lazy river.

My poor attempt of taking a picture of B going down the slide.

B swimming away from the slide.

One of B's friends jumping off the diving board, B wasn't brave enough to do this yet, maybe next time. =)

** In this space, WAS a picture of J enjoying the swimming fun, but when he reviewed the post he INSISTED I delete his picture.  He now wants to start a CrossFit Membership, effective immediately. =) **

Couple of the girls enjoying the waterfall.

Pizza time!! (and I forgot to take a group pic, so this is the closest thing, minus a few kids over on the side.) 

J passing out 2nds and 3rds of pizza...believe it or not, we went through 8 boxes of Papa Johns Large pizzas with NO leftovers!!

At home unwrapping presents. =)

B with his new stash of Nerf Guns, 

he is so impressed that it is taller than him. =)

and that's a bag of rice. . .inside that bag of rice is B's iTouch =( 

We're HOPING and crossing our fingers, the rice will be able to absorb the moisture and make it work again.

Apparently he was SO excited to get his party started, he completely forgot to take his iTouch out of his pocket before he got in the pool.  Why in the world he would have EVER put his iTouch in his SWIMMING SUIT Pocket is BEYOND me. When he originally brought it to me, my heart immediately sunk. Not because it was an expensive item that was just ruined, for me, I could careless how much it cost. I knew, at that moment,  that we would not be able to recover anything that was on his iTouch. . . in an instant, poor slip of judgement on B's part, everything on it was gone. . . pictures, pictures of Ava (I think I had texted myself all of them) self portraits B had took, memories of him facetiming me, texting me, calling me. . . all of that was gone, in an instant.  I can't help but think/wonder why, everything good that happens to us now, seems to always have a "but" or "catch to it."  The party was wonderful, we all had a great time, but the happiness was dampened by the loss of B's iTouch and the irreplaceable memories on it.

Although B had an amazing time, planning a party of this size was a bit much for us! On our way to the party, we teased B that next year he will have to choose between a big item present or a friend party. I'm already highly encouraging him to choose a big item present like last year. =)

Thanks for following along with us,