Happy Birthday, Cody!

First of all, Cody loves me.  That's the most important, right?  (Ignore that he's looking away, probably at something more exciting than me.)

 Cody loves the outdoors, including scouting, camping and just having fun.  He's also very creative.  I have no doubt that this giant stick had some grand purpose in his imagination.

 Cody loves to learn. Once when we were all at home I was crocheting something or the other.  It wasn't long before Cody approached me, "Can you teach me how to crochet?"  Next thing I know, Brandon and Spencer wanted to learn, too.

 But his learning isn't all domestic.  No, like every boy, he loves everything outdoors.  Here we are at the zoo, looking at otters.

 He really does love his brothers.  Even if sometimes they're not so sure about that.  :)

 Cody is an enormous helper.  We just spent a week with them and he was the first to get his chores done every day.  (That had nothing to do with bribery to play the iPad once chores were done, I'm sure.)  He was always the one in the kitchen helping with dinner.  He'd volunteer to do dishes.  (In exchange for mom doing his meal chore instead.) And he's also crazy and goes out into snow without a coat.

Cody loves, loves, loves to cook.  Seriously.  For his birthday Jalin made him that apron and chef's hat and his parents gave him a gift certificate to take a fondant class.  This is the product of that class.  He made that cake with that dog on top.  Dude.  I couldn't even do that.  I predict that someday he opens a bakery and makes millions.  I hope I'm still his favorite aunt when that happens.  And that his bakery is located close to me.  :)

Happy birthday, Cody!

We love you so much!