Eleven

So, the other day I met a sweet, young couple.

I brought them dinner.

He asked me if I had a 25-year-old daughter.

hmmmm... (ouch)

"No, but my son just turned 11 today!" I say with a big smile trying to ignore that fact that he just asked a 33-year-old if she was at least 45.

(And yes, you read that right. I took dinner to another family on my son's birthday.)

Anyway, here is the story about Brother.

He used to LOVE his birthday. We would have big parties with all his friends and he would get tons of gifts and we would sing to him and he LOVED to blow out the candles. (He is infamous for blowing out other people's birthday candles, still, to this day.)

Then, one day, around age 7 he decided "NO more birthday parties."

That's right. I think it was harder on me than him.

I even tried to sneak in a birthday party once and just said we were having some friends over for pizza and a movie... he caught on as soon as the second guest came in with a birthday present wishing him "Happy Birthday!"

So this year I didn't even push it.

I asked and encouraged.

I poked and I prodded.

I even asked him if it would be fun for me to bring treats to his class for his birthday.

"No. I will spank your butt!" Ya, that's what he says whenever he hears something he does like.

No treats for his class.

No birthday party with friends.

He even didn't want to have family over for a birthday party.

So, I didn't do anything.

Well, I did get him a gift and he was out of school on his birthday so we were all together and he was very excited to spend the day with all of us and open and enjoy all his presents.

But, then, it was as if he realized that he remembered birthdays as being fun and what they were to entail. "When is Aunt Jessie and Uncle Joel coming? Do they have my present?" "When's grandma coming?"

Luckily I had the special envelope with 11 lovely dollar bills tucked into a spiffy birthday card that Grandma Lynne and Grandpa Gary had left for me to give to him. (They were on their way to see their newest grandchild.) That gift kept him side-tracked for a bit. Then, he was starting to get really sad that his aunt and uncle  hadn't come yet and just when I didn't know what else to do his sweet friend called and said she had a birthday gift for Brother and wondered if she could come over and give it to him...

Yay!!!!!

I told her to come on over and to plan on staying to play with Brother for a little while.

She came and he was so nervous at first that he ran downstairs and hid with Shania Twain. Miss M was so patient she just waited upstairs for him till I could get him to come up.

He was now very happy to see her and asked if she wanted to play his new game with him. (It was a magical creature game we gave him.)

My heart was so full at that moment thankful for his friend. So special.

Later that night my mom and dad came and brought him a wonderful gift. A Zhu Zhu pet. Oh, the joy that brought! Thanks mom, he loves it! Then we watched the new Disney's Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey—which I LOVE! I love that story. My feelings about that story I will save for a whole other post...

I think that next year I will just sneak in treats to his class and still have and "unofficial birthday" party for him—I realize now he likes the benefits of the birthday—just not the attention... well, kinda...

On a personal note:
Brother, you are such a blessing in mine and Daddy's lives. I am so glad you were the oldest because you have set the bar so high for your sisters. You teach them everyday how to be happy, how to take turns, and you sacrifice a lot of your candy and toys to Sister. We love to hear your endless singing—Shania Twain, Phantom of the Opera (as the Phantom and as Christine)! You are trully a gem! We love you! We are thankful for you. You have raised us and we hope that we have learned well.