What can I say...my baby is no longer a baby!  He tells me he is going back to school and can play in the "Big Kid" yard.  Sigh...can you hear my worried angst.  Sometimes the "Big Kids" are not such fun.  Poor Mark has no idea that kids can be mean and for no reason at all.  His Momma is praying and hoping that he will find his place and not have any worries about school yard grief.  Yesterday he asked me "Mom what does "bully" mean?  Mark has a very strong sense of fair play and gets really upset if someone is not being treated right.  I am sure he will step up in defense but at what cost?  Momma is not so good at letting the little ones out of the nest!  Hurray for the Birthday boy.  We had a great time with his big brother Tyler in Toronto.  We were able to swim and open up his presents a week early this year.  Then on the actual date of his birthday on August 29th we celebrated here at home as a family.

 Mark got to pick out his own cake.  Funny that he wanted palm trees on it with "rings"  He was wearing a surfer shirt.  He picked chocolate Oreo cake this year.  Yum yum.
 For his birthday he got a complete Buzz Lightyear outfit.  He is busy fighting off the evil Zurg with his lazer glove.




 Pretty neat to have a brother with a birthday so close to his.  We got to share the cake with Tyler as well.  Mark was quite the cutie in the grocery store while we waited.  He must have told everyone there that he and his brother were having a birthday together!
 On his actual birthday here at home we had ice cream birthday Oreo cookie cakes.  Daddy found them in the store and man were they ever good.  Likely Marissa will be putting in her order for them soon.  Only another month to go for her.
 As a special treat Daddy took us all out in the boat.  Yep that is our wee little boat being towed behind the truck.  Mark and Daddy are looking for bigger ones.  Seems our little man has very big plans when it comes to boats.  Momma has to agree...never liked a small boat on the big lake.  We will be shopping for a family sized boat before next summer.  What a great way to enjoy a birthday weekend.
 Even Marissa was happy as a bean, considering that it was all about Mark this time.  She was a trooper and will be very excited when it is her turn next!
What a wonderful time and super great kids to share it with.  We are looking forward to more very happy years with our children!