On March 23, my big boy turned EIGHT! 8!!!!!!!! I cannot believe how big he’s grown, physically, emotionally, spiritually… When we took him for his annual wellness check up, we discovered he gained 14 pounds in one year! That boy can eat and he is packing on the muscle!

Our family has several fun birthday traditions that I wanted to share today. Some of these have been carried over from my childhood:

• Handwritten birthday signs/cards. I usually decorate signs the night before, creating ones specific to the birthday person, and hang them in random places around the house. Think bathroom mirrors, doors, etc. My kids always have kind things to say about my artwork, haha! Aiden and Lillian also LOVE to make homemade birthday cards for friends, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

• Birthday party week! Everyone loves a party! In our family, we usually have a minimum of four celebrations. We celebrate with my side of the family, hubby’s side, friends, and then just the four of us. Aiden’s been having park parties for 7 years now, and it usually includes a piñata! Check out the progression from Aiden’s birthdays when he was younger until now!

• Birthday food! We usually let the birthday boy or girl choose their favorite meal and snacks for each celebration. This year Aiden chose stuffed shells and caesar salad for one meal, and burritos for another. I’ve also been making these super yummy vegan cupcakes for the past 8 years! A tradition that will live on for years to come!

• Speaking life. Ever since I was a little girl, my Daddy always spoke the things he loved about I and my sisters. Each year as we grew older, he would add another thing he loved about us. A friend of mine calls this “Heart happys,” where each person shares what makes their heart happy about the birthday boy/girl. For example, “Aiden Jo, I love/it makes my heart happy that you are an intentional big brother and cousin. I love how you play and look after your sister and younger cousins.”

What about you, Mama? What are some birthday traditions you’ve created for your family?