Decker is NINE!!!! July 7, 2017

In our tradition of making cakes with a theme, I asked Decker what he would like this year.  He had two requests.  He wanted a Kitty cake and he wanted a chocolate Ice Cream cake.  We did a Pinterest search for some Cat ideas and even then I didn't know how I was going to decorate the cat.  He liked the black cat designs the best...so I tried to make black frosting with black food coloring to make it darker.  Got the idea for graham cracker ears from another cake and added my own spaghetti pasta covered with buttercream for the white whiskers.  I like how it turned out.  It was a challenge working on it because I had limited time with it outside of the freezer because I didn't want it to melt all over the place.  

One of Decker's other requests was to forgo having a birthday party with friends and instead have dinner at Red Robin.  I think he liked how the servers come and sing for the birthday boy and you get your own special treat.  I love how happy he looks as they sang to him.  He was thrilled.

Got our family picture outside the restaurant.

Then we went back home and had Ice Cream cake and opened presents.  It has been deemed that Decker is old enough to own his own pocket knife.

He gets a whittling book with projects.

We finished reading Charlotte's Web this week and was excited to find this DVD for him.

Gotta use the pocket knife to open birthday presents. :)

He's read all the Diaries of the Wimpy Kid Books this year, so we've been collecting them all year.  A couple more to add to his collection.

2 --9 inch round chocolate cakes, one layer of chocolate ice cream, a layer of oreo cookies and fudge, one layer of vanilla Ice cream with chocolate frosting to top it all off.  The white and pink frosting was from the leftover orange buttercream frosting from Kaylie's cake.

Keppi asked Lisa to put a special message on the reader board at Redmond Elementary.  So the day after his birthday, we went down and found it!  What a fun surprise to see this public announcement!  

 Then we went and got Slurpees to finish off the weekend!
Oh and here's a picture of Decker getting his birthday breakfast in bed.  He wanted to sleep on the floor so that he could use the dinner tray for his breakfast.  Mike surprised him with a bowl of Chocolate Chip Cookie Crisp cereal drowned in chocolate milk.  What a way to start the morning!

Decker is a very tender hearted soul.  He loves his brother and sister and definitely is the wise older brother to the two of them.  He loves to get Kaylie out of her bed in the morning and when she gets hurt or disappointed he likes to be there to wipe her tears and hug her.  His freckles have become pronounced this year that I notice them everytime I look into his sweet brown eyes. He loves word games and card games and is always up for a game or two when Grandma and Keppi come over.
Dabbing has become a fad lately and I will see him and Cody pronouncing their superiority with the Dab dance move.
He doesn't mind talking in front of people and has given talks in Primary like a pro.  He has been taking piano lessons this past year and instead of learning to read the music as he plays, he memorizes.  He has an amazing memory.
He has liked having longer hair this year, and still enjoys Superheros and Pokemon.  I will overhear Decker and Cody playing Pokemon in their room or in the car.  As many cards as they each own, I am still surprised that they know which ones belong to whom.
Decker is a smart and kind son.  We love him are so blessed that he is in our family.