SEVEN!

Wow.  Seven.  I can't believe Boy O is seven.  It's a common theme in my posts now-time seems to be moving forward at an incredible pace.  I had hoped to have a birthday party with friends and family, but with Newbie O and life in general, I just could not get it together enough to plan the fabulous superhero themed party I had envisioned in my head.  There's always next year.  So instead, we celebrated in superhero style in our usual low-key way.  Family, food, presents, and all the superheroes you can imagine.

It started a bit early the night before-we let him open one birthday present early for movie night.  If you guessed The Avengers, you would be right on track. He was thrilled-especially since I had promised a fun evening of watching the first presidential debate I had taped previously.

Here the boys are in good spirits the next morning having a wonderful Spiderman breakfast.  He opened one more present at breakfast-an extra 30 minutes at bedtime.

Then it was onto our favorite Ethiopian restaurant where we met family and feasted on injera, shiro and other traditional favorites.  I got a big kick out of Boy O-his cream soda looked like beer and he looked like such a mini grown-up whenever I glanced over at him.

We were so full from lunch that he actually opted to save the birthday cake for later.  Presents definitely held a much higher priority.  Beyblades, superheros and legos were at the top of the list this year.

Boy O wanted a 'Beyblade' cake this year.  This was a hard one and I thought long and hard about how to create it.  Not my greatest masterpiece, but it's the thought that counts, right?  He said he loved it and even though I thought it looked a bit evil, it was mighty tasty.

And as tradition dictates, a letter to my oldest son on his seventh birthday:

Dear Boy O,

It's been another big year of changes for you.  We moved again, switched schools and added another member to the family and although I know you miss our old neighborhood, house and quality time alone together, you have managed to embrace it all with an incredible amount of enthusiasm.  You amaze me.

I want you to know that despite your brave face, I see how difficult it is to adjust to all these new things that have been thrust upon you.  I feel your frustration when seeing our time diverted to a tantrum throwing three year old and a new infant.  I want you to know that our love has and will never diminish-not even one bit-for you.  I want you to know that it weighs heavy on my mind.

You are seven.  Seven!  You still love superheroes.  You love commercials more than the intended television program.  You love wearing long pants on sweltering hot days. You love competition (and HATE losing).   You love soccer, building forts, swords, and capes.  You love to lay down on the floor of the library and surround yourself with books.  You love to chase and antagonize your brother.  You love to make your sister smile.  You love to help out in any situation.

Physically, you have grown by leaps and bounds.  In just one year you have outgrown 4 shoe sizes and at age seven, your feet and hands are as big as mine.  It will not be long before you tower over me.  It's so hard for me to pick you up now, but I try as much as I can because I know I won't be able to hold you in my arms and carry you to bed much longer.

You are so fiercely independent that I know I won't have to worry too much as you get older.  But I still want you to know that your Dad and I will always be here to hold your hands and swing you up in the air anytime you need it.  Once again, I can't tell you how lucky I am to be your Mom.

Much love to you and please don't grow up too fast.

Mommy O

Three

I've said it several times in the last year or so-Baby O is no longer a baby.  But he will always be our baby.  So for now, even though I have tossed around the idea of changing our pseudo-blog names, Baby O he will remain.  As usual, we celebrated as a family beginning from the moment we woke (which was early, because he woke up at least 4 times that night in what I believe was anticipation and excitement).

Tradition continues...I am still making the birthday cakes. They look pretty sad when compared to the store bought version, but it is so much fun trying to make these silly masterpieces.

Playing with his new 'Cranky' the crane and adding to his train collection.

Newbie O put on her pink party bow for the occasion and was able to watch all the festivities from the best seat in the house.

Hats off to the people who advertise for toys such as 'Dream Lites'.  This was by far the most requested item on Baby O's list and the most appreciated.  It is supposed to be the nightlight that 'turns your room into a starry sky'.  He told us he would not be scared of the dark anymore if he had one.  On night one of having his adored Dream Lite, he came running to our room at 2 am screaming bloody murder that he couldn't find it.  Come to find out, it had fallen off the bed.  Put that in your commercial Pillow Pets Corporation!

A letter to my youngest son on his third birthday:

Dear Baby O,

As I stated above, you are no longer a baby.  But as your Mom, it is so hard to let go of that little guy that entered our lives not so long ago.  You have grown and changed so much this year.  The baby fat is gone, the legs are longer and your feet at three are as big as your brother's were at four and a half years of age.  You are out of diapers, sleeping in your own bed and can carry on an amazingly complicated conversation with just about anyone.

You do everything with an energy and zeal that I admire.  You love your siblings with such fierce loyalty.  Just six months ago there was an incident where a boy was saying some mildly unkind things to your brother and you stood up in the middle of story hour and yelled, "Stop being rude to MY brother!, Be KIND you banshee head!"  You haven't had the chance to defend your sister just yet, but you enjoy playing with her toys and running over to where she is and having a conversation with her.  When we ask you what you have been talking about you usually respond with something along the lines of, "Miss Saucy Pants said I could play with her toys" or "She's fine, don't worry about her, she said she's not hungry".

You are equally mischievous, sassy and so darn cute at the same time.  It's hard not to laugh out loud at your responses to being disciplined.  It is quite a skill to be lovable and defiant at the same time and you have most definitely mastered it.  Imagining you being that way ten years from now is what helps me be consistent and keep a straight face.   I'm hoping these skills translate to being an independent thinker and a real people person when you are an adult and not the screaming meltdowns that occur currently in the time-out chair.

You may spend some time in the 'chair', but you are a great little helper.  You love to help me make meals or   vacuum the floor.  You especially enjoy helping Dad in the garage with various projects.  It slows us down a bit, but I think in a few years you are going to be quite the handy man.

This year has been full of changes with moving and a new addition to the family.  You have reminded us all to just relax, enjoy the moment and most of all, welcome it with enthusiasm and laughter.  I love you.  We love you and hope that three is even better than two.

Always yours and with all my love,

Mommy O

The Birthday Truck: Year Two

If your Mother is sending you messages expressing that she is tired of the coffee cup picture, it's time for a new post.

Is busyness even a word?  According to google, dictionary dot com and thesaurus dot com it is and more on  Family O October busyness soon. Seriously.  Now for some back blogging.

The birthday truck has been making frequent stops at our house recently, it is a crazy month for birthdays and special events for Family O.  Unfortunately, Boy O doesn't get to enjoy the arrival of the packages as much as he used to now that deliveries usually occur while he's at school but he has certainly been eyeing the growing mound of packages in the living room.  Daddy O and I doused the house with balloons, spiderman streamers, green lantern rings, and carefully placed batman place mats and other superhero party favors on the dining room table.  Boy O had a fun-filled day starting with a waffle breakfast and then onto school, where not only did he get to wear a special birthday hat all day, the annual kindergarten pet parade took place early in the morning.  I was slightly concerned that we didn't have any actual pets and sent him to school with a stuffed animal.  Luckily, this was the 'norm' and he was flanked by stuffed bears and even an ostrich.  Some students proudly showed off their live dogs, cats, ferrets and chinchillas (the parents had tied the cage to a rolling chair...hilarious).  The best was  a girl who carried her goldfish around in a Britta pitcher.  All in all it was extremely entertaining for Baby O (who kept pointing to the poor ferret on a leash, calling it a mouse) and myself.  We had a great time. 

Daddy O surprised Boy O by joining him for lunch at school and then we all (MeMe included) brought in cupcakes for his classmates later in the afternoon.  And it doesn't end there....we came home, opened presents, had a special Ethiopian meal, Superman cake...it was a full day of celebration.

A letter to my eldest son on his sixth birthday:

Dear Boy O,

So much has happened in one year.  You have gone through at least 13 pairs of shoes, two bicycle tires, countless pairs of jeans and grown six + inches.  You have learned to swim, read, add and subtract.  I don't think there is one thing in this world that you cannot do or accomplish if you set your mind to it.  You are that rare person that is just good at everything you try.  It is an amazing gift that not everyone has and I truly hope that you learn to appreciate it later on in life.

You have this wonderful ability to make friends everywhere we go.  You are always the first to go up to a person and ask if they want to play.  Sometimes they respond immediately, sometimes they have to think about it for a minute, and one time you even tried hard to engage an 87 year old great grandfather to join in your game of tag.  He laughed and laughed at your invitation, and I had to have the don't-talk-to-strangers-talk afterward, but that is you to a tee.  You love to play and don't mind making the first move to introduce yourself.  Believe me, I have been taking notes and trying to follow your lead. 

You are a good natured, kind, gentle and happy six year old boy and every one's best friend.  Your Dad and I are always watching and learning from you and love you so much.  We are proud of you, look forward to watching you grow and are so thankful to be your parents,

Much Love,

Mommy and Daddy O

Two

My baby turned to two today.  We celebrated as a family with Thomas cupcakes and whistles and finally, finally opened presents after nap time.  Baby O didn't seem to have too much trouble with the time line, but Boy O, MeMe and myself included were quite excited to see him open his gifts.  Thomas the train and the fully stocked fire station were immensely popular with both boys and they played for hours on end afterward. 

To my two year old son, who will always remain my baby:

Dear Baby O,

In the letter written to you on your first birthday, I was struck by the lack emotion from its author.  The weak attempts to describe you sound like an outline, a bare bones draft listing milestones or activities.  Not once did I mention my love for you or how much you mean to me.   That life would be empty without you.  And it truly would be.  Empty.

It has been such an unbelievable year.  Your father and I agree that we were so short-sighted in the beginning. By that we mean that we only thought of you as an infant, a baby-we had no idea that such a little guy like you could fill up an entire room on personality alone.  Your voice helps out a bit too.  Wink.

Just a few days after your first birthday, you took your first steps and our house (and everything in it) would never be the same. I think you may have only walked for a matter of days before you started running and believe me, you have only stopped to eat and sleep a few times here and there.  You always have somewhere to be and somewhere to go, sometimes you pause for a few seconds and I can see the wheels turning in your head-you always have a plan.  Most times that plan includes estimating just how long it will take Mom or Dad to get to you before you get into too much trouble, but it's a plan, nevertheless, and it usually works.

The words and phrases  you place together to form sentences or just to get your point across make each day new and interesting.  I love that you think everyone should receive and M & M every time they go potty (if you don't lock the door, he will come right on in and ask you if you need him to get you one from the kitchen), I love your obsession with Thomas the train, I love that you give yourself applause each and every time you take a sip from the 'big boy' cup and don't spill, I love that you insist on licking the frosting off of cupcakes....I could go on and on.

It is starting to sound like a list again doesn't it?  It IS hard not to reminisce or brag...Forget all the lists of milestones and cuteness, forget the all the poetry,  every time we look at you, YOU fill our hearts with love, happiness and laughter like no one else can.  I love you so much it hurts.

Your brother, father and I cannot imagine a life without you,
Love,
Mom

P. S. Here a few more pictures of the celebration

The Birthday Truck

The evolution of the birthday truck did not take long.  Being the observant boy that he is, Boy O noticed that the UPS truck always seemed to deliver packages around someones birthday.  Then one day as we were driving around town, he jumped up and down,  pointing and exclaiming "There's a birthday truck, Mommy!  A birthday truck!" 
This has now become a fun activity-that is, to spot the birthday truck and try to guess whose birthday it could possibly be and what kind of presents they are receiving.  The best is when we spot an extra long delivery truck-that person, of course, must be receiving some large presents.  The birthday truck has been making frequent stops here this past week and Boy O could not be more excited-we placed all the gifts up above the fireplace and the anticipation must have been agonizing. 

I hope that I can keep this tradition alive in the coming years-a letter to my eldest son on his fifth birthday:

Dear Boy O,

There are many nights that I lie awake and think about the events that have taken place in your life for the past year.  At a very young age you have endured hardships and loss that most people cannot imagine-you are made of tough stuff.  What continues to amaze me, is that although these events have shaped your life thus far, you remain open to love and being loved by your new family.  That fact is truly powerful as your namesake would suggest.

A snapshot of your life right now-you are INCREDIBLY active!  You love to ride your bicycle and no one would ever guess that you had training wheels just a few short months ago.  Most people think you are very daring with your multitude of tricks, but I know from watching you day in and day out that a lot of hard work and some spectacular crashes have contributed to your expertise at wheelies and jumping off the curb.  I admire the determination and grit I see in your face whenever you get back on your bike.

You love to play soccer.  It is difficult for any of the other kids to handle the ball when you are on the field.  You are faster, you kick with both feet and you know how turn the ball around with some fancy footwork. You are so good that sideways glances and questions about your age are not uncommon from other parents.  When you are playing, I like to refer to you as 'my little type A'.  Your soccer skills are unmatched at this age, but your social graces are a bit lacking at practice-we are working hard on encouraging your manners when standing in line and waiting for your turn at the water fountain.

Just shy of five months home and you are learning to read.  I find it hard to believe that we were communicating with charades back in May.  You can read almost 30 words now!  I try to keep our reading lessons to 10 minutes a day, but you have boundless enthusiasm to learn more.  You enjoy picking out books for bedtime stories and look forward to the library story hour twice a week.  After your nap (or should I say quiet time?), your bed is strewn with books.  As an avid reader myself, I could not be more proud.

In true boy fashion you love all things superhero where the lines between good and evil are very distinct.  You are fascinated by the good but have started to explore why a 'bad' guy might be bad. Sometimes you ask me why they are bad and if they used to be good.  I am no expert on the motivations of Marvel villains, but after reading you many books on the subject (thank goodness for the library), a new wrinkle in my brain has formed and is specifically for answering questions concerning the origins, aliases, adversaries, and allies of just about any superhero.  I try my best, but many times find myself passing the buck and saying "Go ask Daddy, maybe he knows."

You are a wonderful big brother but are too young to realize how much Baby O already looks up to you.  You have helped him learn to walk and now run and kick a ball.  His eyes light up whenever you enter the room.  I hope you will have a close relationship with one another as the years go by.

At five years old, you are an individual and yet also a social butterfly. You are incredibly kind and considerate-you are smart as a whip-and especially observant. I have every confidence that these attributes will ensure your success in whatever you choose to pursue in life.

Your father and I hope one day that you will grasp how much we love you and how proud we are to call you our son. 

Happy Birthday and hoping for many, many more,
Mommy O

P.S.  The first statement out of your mouth after opening all of your gifts was "Is it a long time 'til Christmas?".

One

A letter to my son on his first birthday.

Dear Baby O,

At seven and a half months old alongside your brother, you flew halfway across the world and made our family whole.  You weren't quite your spunky self at that point-you were recovering from a serious infection resulting from the chicken pox.  The antibiotics made you groggy and for the first week or so, we were only able to catch a glimpse of your exuberant personality.  At one year old, you are bright in every way that I can think of-facial expressions, movements and your laugh has been known to stop traffic in an entire grocery store.

In the past two weeks alone, you have managed to not only outgrow all of your 6-9 month old clothes, but now without warning, the 12 month old clothes are getting tight (in just two weeks!).  I thought we had at least a few months before you needed a new wardrobe and I don't think you were disappointed this evening that most of your presents were clothes as I wrapped each outfit in different size boxes and lots of tissue paper for your entertainment.

You love your big brother so much. In fact for months after you arrived, he was the only one who could make you belly laugh by just entering the room or making a funny face. Daddy O and I were quite envious of his skills at times. We would try to do the exact same thing and you would look at us like we were crazy. It took us a while to each develop our own 'belly laugh' skills.

You are an extremely inquisitive and active baby!  You have this amazing ability to find the one kernel of popcorn that I missed while vacuuming and love to hold it up to me from across the room between your index finger and thumb, smile and put it in your mouth one millisecond before I reach you.

You are crawling and cruising everywhere now, can stand up on your own and take more tentative steps each day.  My heart jumps in my throat all the time-climbing over baby gates and managing to get yourself in the strangest of places. You will be walking very soon, but sometimes I hesitate to encourage you, thinking that a few more days of less mobility might be advantageous for me. 

Going hand in hand with being active, you eat a lot.  And I mean a lot.  This morning for breakfast you ate two good sized bananas, a hefty bowl of oatmeal and of course a side of cheerios.  You also seemed to enjoy your first piece of cake-it was a two layer pineapple/apple cake (supposed to be three, but I ruined one layer-why do I always insist on making the most complicated recipe?).

Our celebration of this milestone was pretty mellow-just you, me, Dad, and your brother-who I might add was a tad jealous of all the attention and presents.  He tried hard to 'help' you open your presents, but once you were preoccupied with all the boxes and paper, it was hard to stop him and you didn't seem to mind. 

I feel old now because I see that the days are going by too quickly and you are growing up before my eyes. 

Happy Birthday and wishing you many more to come, much love,

Mommy O