Guess Who's Having a Birthday Today!

This guy:

TheBoy on his 1st B-day

Today is TheBoy's ninth birthday. Nine years ago today I welcomed my son into the world; nine short years since I last had a good night's sleep, since I last went out without apprehension, since I last thought of myself before someone else... Nearly a decade has passed since I learned I was to be a parent; a lot has changed both in my own little world and in the great big world out there. I've learned how to change a diaper, remove a splinter without pain, and drop the kids off at school when they miss the bus and *not* get caught in the massive traffic jam that is the morning dropoff...

Along the way there have been highs and lows, frightening incidents and life-changing milestones. I've felt my blood run cold as the doctor made a tentative diagnosis of meningitis (later proven to be just a stubborn bug); I've put him on the big yellow school bus taking him away from me and off to school; I've watched my son make his very first basket in a basketball game. We've learned how to walk, talk, tie shoes, tell time, and ride a bicycle. He's had a broken arm; gone to the hospital for IV antibiotics after a mosquito bite made his whole face swell up; and suffered through interminable bouts of ear infections and strep throat.

I've pushed myself to become a better person - when Mrs. G. told me she was pregnant with TheBoy, I weighed nearly 300 pounds, suffered from gout attacks, and was on medicine for high blood pressure. In his lifespan, I've stopped smoking, lost over 100 pounds, and started exercising daily. "Lead by example" is the best possible way to make sure the positive habits and traits you want your children to possess get passed onto them - sitting on the couch watching television hollering at the kids to put down the Wii remote and go outside and play is a lot less effective than grabbing a frisbee and calling "Who wants to play Frisbee???"

Of course, sometimes you just have to take what you can get:

TheBoy on his 9th B-day

That's TheBoy today; he's one year away from DOUBLE DIGITS (how he puts it) and only four away from being a teenager.

[pause]

A teenager.

[breathes again]

It's been nine years according to the calendar since I heard my son's first cry. Now he's only a few inches shorter than his mother; he's already better than I am at most of his video games (side note: for someone who grew up in the Atari/Nintendo generation, now is a GREAT time for gamers...). He's reading Harry Potter like a pro and worrying about the MCAS tests; loves getting together with his friends and sharing fart jokes (bathroom humor is king among the Lego™ set...). Along the way, I've had the distinct pleasure of watching him take first place in the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby; I've stuck him on the back of my Harley and listened to him chatter happily behind me as we rack up the miles; I've ridden on rollercoasters (rollercoasters!) at Walt Disney World with him.

Nine years. He's halfway to being an adult, at least chronologically. In a few years he'll discover girls and start realizing that his dad doesn't have all the answers. A little after that he'll start driving, then he'll go off to college - all in the next nine years. There will be at least as much upheaval in the following 9 years as in the past 9; something tells me the next nine years will be more expensive, though (braces alone are going to be a killer...)

Happy birthday buddy! I love you.

That is all.