Sunny Day, Chasing Those Clouds Away...

We finally made it to Sesame Place to celebrate what would have been... what SHOULD have been... Gavin's SEVENTH birthday on Sunday.  

But before we entered the park, we made a special stop for lunch.  The day was as much about Brian as it was about Gavin!  And the key to Brian's heart?  (Well, one of them)  Pancakes!!  We took him for his first experience at IHOP and it did not disappoint. 

"Cheers to Gavin!"

Hope had a great time, too, and was very considerate.  I only had to pick up 25 things off the floor!  Ha!

It was, fittingly, a gorgeous and sunny day to celebrate Gavin.  Sesame Place was the first amusement park we ever took him to!

They were celebrating Halloween at Sesame...

...and Brian got to stop at many "Trick or Treat" stations around the park to collect fun snacks!

A lot of kids came in their costumes, but we passed on that (Brian didn't want to risk messing up his awesome costume before Halloween!) and all wore blue for Gavin.  He always looked so handsome in blue.  Even Cookie Monster was ready to celebrate Gavin's birthday!

Brian and I make great "ride buddies"...

...and he and Ed love playing games together!

Brian had fun decorating a pumpkin to bring home!

He chose a Vampire template and did such a great job.

We had funnel cake and picked out a Christmas ornament to remember the trip.  Brian picked out a toy that reminded ALL of us of Gavin - a light up spinning toy.  And then he helped me pick out a doll for his little sister - "Abbie Cadabra."  

We closed the park...

...and closed the book on another birthday without our sweet Gavin.  He was with us all day... we could feel it.

He was always able to chase the clouds away.

Happy 7th Birthday, Bugaboo.

(In other news - we celebrated Hope's 45th Saturday with us just the day before!  She's inching closer and closer to one...which is just so hard to believe!)