My Big 6 year Old!

As I sat down tonight to start my post about Riley's birthday, I started my uploading each year's birthday pictures.  Then I started thinking about it and realized that I did that last year.  So instead as I reflect on the fact that my sweet little boy is not so little anymore and his age is now on 2 hands, 6!, I am instead going to reflect on the highlights of his life from the last year.  I'm pretty sure that all of these events will have been blogged about, but here they are all together now. Because this has been a HUGE year for Riley!

Just to prove how much he was growing up, Riley had his first freebird burrito by himself last July.  Some of you are probably thinking, hmm, what?  Let's just say in college I ate Freebird's at least once a week, so to see my son follow in my footsteps makes me proud.

Then we get to the biggest event of the year, Riley started school.  He became a Kindergartner at Bluebonnet Elementary & loved every minute of it!

Shortly after school started, we got the first pet to be added to the house since we had kids.  Daddy came home with Sadie, the kitty.  It is so cute how she still loves to take evening naps in Riley's bed.  Then we wake her up when we go to bed and she spends the rest of the night in our room.

In October, Riley was in his first parade.  He was a knight in the "Once Upon a Time" Fossil Ridge Homecoming Parade!

For Halloween, he chose his costume this year.  While he has chosen some from the past, this is the first one that was not bought at Gymboree or Old Navy.  It was just another Toys R Us costume, :(

This winter Riley added basketball to his list of sports.  It was definitely a "first" season of a new sport, but more signs of growth.

 In March, Riley conquered his fear of roller coasters.  We went to Disney World for Spring Break and Riley rode every roller coaster that he was tall enough for and absolutely loved them.  Here we are right before riding Expedition Everest.

Another huge first was the loss of his first tooth in April 2011.

 Then that same week, Riley went on his first field trip, rode his first school bus, and saw his first IMAX movie. 

In May Randy killed the first BIG snake at our house, so Riley had time to get over his own fears and tease mommy of her insane fear of snakes!

 Then the end of May was Riley's first school program, where they sang "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head".

 The end of May also marked the end of the school year and the end of that precious Kindergarten year!

The beginning of June was VBS and his first time to be a first grader!

 To wrap it up, a picture from Riley's birthday party at Southlake Harkins Theatre, where the kids saw Cars 2.

Happy Birthday to my sweet little red head.  I love watching you grow and change.  You make me so proud every day.  6 years ago God blessed me with the best job ever, Mommy!