8 is Great!

Happy 8th Birthday Kobe!

1. Kobe is the coolest 8 year old boy that I know.

2. He has the best dimples.
3. He always reminds us to have family prayer.

4. He Eats. So. Much. Food. All. Day. Long.

5. His favorites this year are Star Wars/Clone Wars, Indiana Jones, collecting Disney pins, Wii, basketball, swimming, and singing & dancing to High School Musical 3 songs (just the guy songs!). He sleeps with my iPod every night listening to "Celebrate You" by Corbin Bleu.

6. I've been told by his teacher that he is very good student, an excellent writer, and a leader who by example encourages the other kids to be obedient and respectful. (He also has excellent handwriting!)
7. He is a creator of art. (See more here)8. He loves his parents, sisters (even though he can really be the "annoying little brother" some times!) and especially loves and protects his little brother.

This year he had his birthday on Saturday. We had to miss about an hour of General Conference to get the party in, but that's what happens when your birthday is April 6th! He chose to have a laser tag party. We scheduled the party at a place where Kobe had been at a friend's party before. I'd never seen it til we got there Saturday. I thought the place was kind of lame, but Kobe thought the party was great, and that's all that matters. :) He invited some friends from school and they played laser tag; had pizza, pop, and cake; opened presents; climbed the rock wall; and played arcade games. How more "boy" to you get than that?!

(waiting for laser tag)

(Reagan was the only one from our family who tried the rock wall.)

(Jillie playing arcade games)

(Kobe with his stash of arcade tickets)

The cake: Kobe went through many design changes as we planned his cake. (He's got so many creative ideas swimming around in his head sometimes!!) First he wanted a big white sheet cake from the store "like all of my friends have at their parties." (*heart breaking*) I finally convinced him to let me make it and he could design it how he wants it as usual. By bedtime the night before the party, he was still changing his plans. He knew he wanted lots of his Star Wars figures on the cake. We narrowed it down to a few of similar size and design. He chose a rectangular cake (2- 9x13's stacked), chocolate cake with blue frosting. (The good guys in Star Wars have blue light sabers.) Then he wanted the Star Wars The Clone Wars logo on the cake with something on the side like "Kobe Skywalker vs. Darth Vader." After he was asleep Greg and I decided on "KOBE-wan Kenobi". In the end I think he was happy enough with it.
For his school treat today Kobe brought cupcakes. This too was a complicated decision for him. As we stood in the cake decorating aisle at the craft store, he went through many options trying to find something that would please both the boys and the girls. Finally he requested that I make blue cupcakes with blue frosting and he wanted these little Sponge Bob sugar thingys on them with white nonpareils to look like bubbles in the water. Done.

Not too much complicated work in the birthday cake making department this year. This is probably for the best so I didn't have to miss out on too much sleep. :)

So now Kobe is 8 years old. This week he starts Cub Scouts. I think he's a little unsure about this. Greg's not a fan of scouts, so Kobe doesn't know if he's going to like it or not. I'm betting he'll have a good time with his church friends! As for his baptism... (in our Church we are baptized at 8 years old). He's waiting until May so it's easier for family to come in for it- and celebrate Greg's 40th birthday at the same time!

We're just really glad to have Kobe in our family. We are so proud of him and love him like crazy!