Seven Sam

My little Sam turned 7 this last week.  For some reason that seemed really old to me.  People tell me all the time to enjoy the time while they are young, and now I think I'm beginning to understand why.  Sam just needs to stay about 5 and that would work for me.  I guess, though, that I'll just add this on to the list of things I can't control while I try to soak up every moment of him being 7. 

Sam requested cupcakes for his class on his birthday.  I prefer not to buy cupcakes because, well, they are just too pricey to me, they taste gross,  and nobody really eats them anyway.  But since he insisted, I decided to steal an idea from my very creative sister-in-law.  She made an alligator cake out of cupcakes.  I looked online to make sure I got the details right and I went to work.  Here is how it turned out.  Sam was very excited to see me show up not just with cupcakes, but with ALLIGATOR cupcakes.  I felt like a good mom.  We handed them out as the kids lined up to go home (Sam almost went with them until I reminded him that he was coming with me) and Sam was practically walking on air. 

Later in the week we had a family birthday party for Sam at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  I made his "real" cake, we sang Happy Birthday and he opened presents.  I think he had a great birthday. 

He requested a Batman cake.  This is an ice cream cake with Oreo crumbs for decoration.  It is made out of ice cream sandwiches and was SO easy. Her is a link to the recipe.

Sam had wanted these for a while. 

Couldn't resist putting this in.  Troy, Ammon and Carson are so cute as they try to figure out the game.

We also got him this book about ocean animals.  It has fun 3D puzzles and lots of fun information.  Perfect for Sam.

This is another one I couldn't resist putting in.  Sam and his cousin Ani have a lot in common.  Here they are putting together the 3D puzzle of an octopus.