My baby is 9!!

My oldest turned 9 yesterday......oh man time is just making a fool of me. It amazes me that it has been 9 years and 8 months since seeing those 2 little pink lines. He is such a wonderful kid it is so cool. We didn't plan things well this summer and are actually going on vacation in the morning. So his birthday was a small one this year. We had it at the in-laws and only invited a few friends and family. I felt bad that we didn't invite his school friends but he said it was fine and didn't mind. So as next year is the big 10 we will make it up to our little man for sure.

This was his "cake". I didn't want to have a big mess on the in-laws patio so Austin actually came up with the idea to have cookies at the party and take the cupcakes home as a favor! (such a smart kid!)

 

The Favors

And now some pics of the fun!

My youngest hamming it up

And with his Uncle Tony

Inside for present time!!!

Boys! Boys! Boys!

When I had my oldest son I was told how different raising boys were to raising girls. Only having one I did not know the difference. Fast forward almost 9 years (wow he will be 9 on Sunday!) later and how right they were! 


My daughter is a bit of a tom boy. Don't get me wrong she loves to dress up and put on make-up but she can make the worlds best mud pies! (while wearing her princess dress of course)


But her brothers are so very different. She will have me put a band aide on anything and everything. She can tell you where every bump, bruise and scratch came from. Austin usually knows how he got hurt but Roman.........that's another story entirely! 


Roman has always been a tough cookie. At 20 weeks I was hospitalized with very painful Gall stones and preterm labor. His little heart beat never once dipped. He was a preemie (although you would never know it by looking at him) and spent a week in the NICU with air trapped between his lung and chest wall (no idea how to spell the condition). Then when he started to walk he developed a pretty severe bowed leg. Thankfully it has straightened out with his growth spurts and he didn't require surgery. I was a painful process and I think because of all of this he is a very strong little guy when it comes to pain. This is probably the reason he often has a ton of injuries he has no memory of. 


As they get older I think his strength is rubbing off on his older brother. Austin is now unaware of injuries on his arms and legs and just shrugs them off like nothing. I know boys are supposed to be strong and all but it is such an eye-opener seeing the difference in front of me.

Not the best picture of it but this is a black eye Roman had to really think about when telling us how he got it. It took a while but he finally remember telling us (laughing mind you) he ran face first into the arm of the couch. When asked if it hurt or why he didn't tell us he just shrugged and ran off to play.

This is the back of Austin's arm. the pic does not show how much purple is in it. It Just popped up this morning and he was more interested in his breakfast than bothering to wonder where he got the bruise. 


I guess none of this should really be a surprise since i see how they play with each other. Sword fighting and wrestling more than anything else and Roman does love to tackle our 90lb American Bulldog. (She is the best dog and does not mind a bit) It is still one of those things you don't really think about until it is right in front of your face in black and blue................but i wouldn't trade it for anything!

A Crafty Kinda Thing

So my normal craft of choice would involve fiber of some sort. Knitting, crocheting or spinning. I Love to just squish all the yarny goodness! But recently I have gone back to my youth so to speak. I saw a youtube video on Duct Tape wallets and vividly remembered crafting with the silver stuff myself. As I am sure many of you are aware Duct Tape now comes in a TON of colors!!

Just a few of the colors I have been able to get a hold of. I made a wallet for my sister-in-law's birthday and the girls she works with went nuts over them so she sold 4 wallets to the girls at work........later that day my mother-in-law saw them and wanted to buy some off of me as well! I have never sold ANYTHING I have made before. Mostly because I love making things and never know what to charge so i only charge for materials. I am pleased with making a little extra money......i mean who doesn't?! So I have been giving every free moment the past few days to making some wallets. But since I LOVE crafts I don't really consider it a job of any kind.

I have really been enjoying playing with tape!

And so it begins..........

I never really thought I would start a blog but after reading friends blogs and seeing it as a way to keep track of my families milestones I have decided to jump in. Although i was unsure of anything my family does i was reminded of how crazy (I say that lovingly) my youngest is and a blog about him alone would be interesting. 


So on that note I think it would be fitting to have my very first  post be about my baby. I say baby but he will be 5 in October and will start school in August. Today was a fun yet sad day for me. I bought Roman (the baby) his first backpack! Now, he has played with his brother and sister's backpacks and even got a mini backpack while school shopping for the older 2 last year but this is his first only for school bought only for him backpack.


This got me thinking and I realized come August i will be taking my child to his very first day of school for the very last time!! :( I know this is all part of them growing up but it does make me feel like I am getting older and the kids are becoming so much more independent. I know he will enjoy himself so much and It will be a welcome break for me but alas it is proof time flies.....