atticus turned nine! ...a really long time ago.

For the past six months or so, we have been throwing the kids' birthday parties at my mom's.  Atticus' birthday was in December, and we have had to cancel the trip multiple times.  On his actual birthday weekend, it was storming, so we weren't able to make the five-hour drive.  Then, on our scheduled make-up weekend, Callista started vomiting the day we were set to leave.  So obviously we stayed home.  Which is how we found ourselves celebrating his birthday in March.  Better late than never, right?

Last weekend we finally found ourselves at my mom's, and we were ready to par-tay.  We kicked off the morning with pancakes and a trip to... (drumroll...)

The. Military. Museum.

Atticus was in heaven.  There was a display room full of guns.  There was a simulation of being in the trenches of WWI.  There was a real, working periscope.  There were dozens of real military vehicles... some of which were outfitted with things like missiles.  Hot dang.

As we drove up, Atticus saw this and said immediately, "That's an M4 Sherman tank!"  He was... well, not even a little bit wrong.

After a couple of hours exploring, we loaded into the car to head back to my mom's.  I suppose I should clarify that the boys got the honor and the privilege of riding in my brother-in-law's Bronco like absolute bosses.  The loved every second of it.

Todd and I drove behind them, and could clearly see the moment when Atticus found a poster tube in the Bronco and started pretending he was shooting a bazooka at legions of advancing Nazis.

When we got home, we had lunch, and then continued the party with cupcakes.

It was such a fun day, and so very 'Atticus'.  I have a feeling this is going to become an annual tradition.