Brady Goes to Double Digits!

Brady turned 10 yesterday. In his words, "This birthday is a big deal, because you go to double digits, and most people don't make it to triple digits, y'know?!" He loves lots of small, special reminders that it's his day. He woke up to a gift on his bed - a Cincinnati Reds baseball cap (he really wanted a Phillies one, but we couldn't find one and this one was the right color - he hasn't taken it off since he got it!). Then the 3 kids gently woke us up at 6:45 sharp (the time we'd suggested the night before as a good wakeup time). We all went out to the kitchen where Brady opened his gifts from us - some Shakespeare for kids books and a BB gun. Needless to say, he was overjoyed! We also woke up to about 2" of new snow. Chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, off to school with a box of individually wrapped brownies (that he and I made together for his classroom celebration) each topped with a gummy bear, and a lunch box with a special birthday note inside. Right after school, we took all 3 kids to "Game On," the new business in town with mini-golf, air hockey, and an assortment of arcade games. Brady's been dying to go and what better day to check it out?! Home for dinner - his request: chicken fried steak! Then cake, ice cream and time to open presents that had arrived in the mail. I asked him if he got enough sugar for the day. His response was "yeah - I'm a little jazzed up!" He's really got a quick wit and nice sense of humor, which we love. He was so happy, so sweet, so willing to share his happiness with Connor and Maggie, and so grown up. The fun continues, because he wanted Corbin's homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast, "but not on a school day, there's not enough time to enjoy them," so we'll have those this weekend. Plus, this year instead of a birthday party, each boy got to choose a family adventure. Brady chose ATV riding on the sand dunes in St. Anthony - something we did in September, and he loved it! We have the ATVs reserved for next Friday, when the boys have the day off!

I spent the past few days reminiscing about the days leading up to his birth and told him his birth story, which he pretty much knows by heart now :-). Corbin and I kept saying that we can't believe we've been parents for 10 years now ... and that we can't believe that in only 8 years he might be out of our house and off to college. Wow, the thought just gives us pause ... love that kid!