Wyatt's 5th Birthday

 I think this birthday will be one we will never forget.  A dream came true for me and for our little family the night of his birthday.  So, it made the day especially exciting.  We left late that night for a week in Hawaii.  Ever since my days at BYU-Hawaii I dreamed of taking my husband and kids back there to enjoy the island with those I love.  Well, my dream came true and it was amazing! And to make it even more awesome my parents were able to come with us.  So there was much excitement and anticipation throughout the day as we finished packing and getting ready to leave.  I know Wyatt was especially excited for us and to have us leave on his birthday was great. 

We started the day out with singing "Happy Birthday" and having breakfast cake.  I can never get through that song on his birthday without some tears shed.  It's still hard and I wish soooo badly he was here physically with us.  I decided to use sparklers instead of candles and I really like that because the flame goes out by itself.   We then did our "No Empty Chairs" box and gave Wyatt a "gift" of something we would be working on this next year.  Then the kids went to school.  I've added the recipe below for the breakfast cake I make for our kids on their birthdays if anyone would like to try it.

 

Breakfast Cake

2 cups whole wheat flour (or regular all purpose flour)
1 cup sugar
2 T baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs beaten
4 T melted butter and 4 T applesauce( or 8 T butter)
I add a couple of Tablespoons of ground flax seed
Mix all together and then pour in greased 9X13" pan.
Topping:
4 T sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 T flour
2 T butter
Mix together and sprinkle on top.
Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

 After school and after we went out to dinner to celebrate his birthday we did our usual balloon release.  Who would of thought that it was a miracle that we could get balloons filled with helium???  Well, it was.  I called around that day to see if I could blow up Wyatt's balloons and every store told me no.  That I would have to buy their balloons and that they could only do a few.  D decided to go to the store that we always blow the balloons up with and talk with the manager.  They finally consented to letting us blow up 5 balloons.  So that is what we did.  My parents, my sister and my niece's family were in town so we invited them to the balloon release.  My sister is the one that gave us the balloons with his name etc. on it so I was glad we were able to use them.  Here are the pictures of it.  We had the little kids do the release.

 Writing messages to Wyatt on the balloons.

 My sweet Dad wrote a long message to Wyatt.  I held back the tears.

 This picture now that I look at it tears at my heart.  These are the kids that Wyatt would be hanging out with as we go to family functions.  They would be his buddies.  There is a void in our lives but also on in theirs as they don't have that cousin to play with.  That reality is hard at times.  Hay struggles with that reality at times as she wishes she had that little brother to hang out with and to play with.  For those that think she was too little to remember or to understand she was not.  She also has to go through the grief of losing possibly one of her greatest friends. She has had some hard moments and has shed some tears over this great loss in her life.  But with that said she still continues to be a bright spot in our family and brings sunshine and light into our lives. I do love this picture...they are soooo cute!

 Watching the balloons go up in the sky.  Happy Birthday sweet Wyatt!!!

I have a dear friend that each year since Wyatt's death has brought us cupcakes for his birthday.  It's been such a tender mercy for me and has made his birthday a little easier.  I will be forever grateful to her for her kindnesses towards me and towards our family.
After the balloon release and eating of treats we packed up and left for the most amazing and memorable week of our lives.

ALOHA!