Brevin's Pool Party

Over the past few months I have witnessed Brevin morph into a tween right before my eyes.  He's become taller, his shoulders have broadened, and his stature has filled out and become more solid.  Brevin has noticed some changes, too, as he has expressed concern (or perhaps excitement) about the thickening hair on his legs.  There's no denying.  Brevin's growing up, maturing, and developing preferences that are slightly more sophisticated than those he had before.  He has begun to demonstrate an interest in books, films, and TV that frequently contain a "coming of age" theme with young teenagers in the roles of protagonists. His current favorite book series is Percy Jackson and the Olympians and he enjoys watching the television show Wizards of Waverley Place.  

I continue to give Brevin increased responsibilities around the home, and he has responded in such a way that shows he is up to the challenge.  He is capable, dependable, and, when given plenty of encouragement, he can be very hard working.  He takes his assignments very seriously and holds himself to his own standard of high expectations.  Brevin is also a quick learner and very intelligent.  I credit that fact to his love of reading.

I couldn't be more pleased with the young man Brevin is becoming.  It is a pleasure to be his mother. And just to prove my point about how quickly he is growing up, here is the birthday video that highlights his past year:

Brevin's Pool Party

I got the inspiration for the invitation design from HERE.

Brevin requested a trip to the Provo Recreation center pool for his birthday party.  He also came up with the idea of using billiards for a pool party theme.  I thought it was a very clever concept, and a fairly simple party to pull off.  We had pizza for dinner and gave Brevin an opportunity to open gifts from his guests before going swimming. Unfortunately, the pool closed earlier than usual due to the Pioneer Day holiday, and so we came back to the home for cupcakes and ice cream sooner than anticipated. Even so, it was a great little party.

Once again, I depended on the creative genius of Karen Tack and Alan 

Richardson of Hello, Cupcake! to supply me with the awesome cake idea.

After we took Brevin's party guests home, our family enjoyed a fireworks display just in front of our own home.

Brevin's Birthday Breakfast

On the actual morning of Brevin's birthday, he was treated to a breakfast of his choice.  He asked to have German pancakes with buttermilk syrup.  He then opened gifts from the family, including a brand new mountain bike with a larger frame to accommodate his growing body.

Brevin's Birthday Dinner

A perfect example of Brevin's growing sophistication in his tastes was made evident by his birthday dinner of choice.  He requested sushi, so we took him to Shoga in Orem and we invited Grandma and Grandpa Park to come along.  It was a perfect way to celebrate another year of having Brevin in our family.  We sure love him!

Happy 11th Birthday, Brevin!

This post authored by Amber