Birthday Candles; Take Two

Giggles turned 7 on Saturday and on Friday afternoon I had a friend party for him. Because it was in the afternoon after school I was going solo in the parent department with 6 friends plus Giggles, Sheriff, Wannabe, Smiley and Sunshine (our foster daughter). Things were going great despite the odds until it came to the presentation of the cake. I couldn't bring over the cake with lit candles AND take a picture of him blowing out the candles at the same time. I needed to set the cake down on the table and go back for the camera.

SIDENOTE: Giggles has ADHD and when he gets something in his mind ... like oh... blowing out candles....

So here I am bringing the cake over and he is on the opposite side of the table and sees a cake with candles on it. He starts climbing onto the table to get to it. I know right away what it happening and I say, "wait... (still climbing) wait! (still climbing and now has his whole torso on the table) WAIT!!!!! (torso and legs fully on the table)

Too late. He reached the cake and blew out the candles before I could even set it down and stop him.

I was not to be stopped however in my memory making moment. "I'll just have to relight the candles and you'll blow them out again." I say

To this one of Giggle's friends responds, "are you INSANE?"

I flash back to all the moments I have had with Giggles and Smiley and I think, "yes, just a little bit."

True story.

Sheriff turns 11!

I can't believe Sheriff is finally 11! I say finally because it seems like it has taken forever to get to this point. At the same time however I look at him and miss the days when he was a little boy giving "big hugs" to his cousin and accidentally spilling eggs on the floor while Brett and I slept in bed. -sigh- Those were the days.

Soon enough his voice will start cracking and the zits will start popping (eww!!). He'll want to borrow the car all the time along with a few dollars here and there. Of course the answer will be "no". To both. hahaha!!!

But for now I guess I had better enjoy the fact that I can still get a few precious hugs out of my 11-year-old and a smile or two when I do or say something mildly amusing. In a few months I'm sure he will be too "old" for that.

Another Year Older

Despite all the electrical mishaps (I won't even go into what happened with my computer this weekend) and what we are going through with Boots, the earth keeps turning and the regular things march on whether we will them or not. Homework must be completed, laundry must be done and I have to acknowledge that.... my kids are getting older - hence so am I!!!

Sheriff celebrated another birthday this past Sunday.
He had a difficult time waiting until the appointed day and just about drove us crazy with the "what day is it" "how many days until my birthday?" routine. The day finally arrived, however, and he was able to have the traditional pancake breakfast (made by his dad) and open his birthday presents.

I think his brothers showed a bigger reaction to his birthday presents than he did although he still loved them. His brothers just loved them MORE.


This is Smiley's look of awe over Sheriff receiving a basketball.

I can't even describe the sound that came out of his mouth - sort of a half whimper, half "whoa". Sheriff might want to put that in a safe place.


Of course there came a moment during the day when Sheriff looked a little sad and I asked him why he was sad. He said to me "you and dad are being the bossiest you have EVER BEEN and it's my birthday!!!" I managed to keep a straight face as I told him that it would only feel worse as he gets older so he might as well find a way to deal with it.

He's not even a teenager yet!