Nine

Guess who's NINE years old today??   

I SUPER LOVE this boy today and everyday.  He is the most awesome kid EVER!  

After having three girls, I didn't think I was missing anything without a son...

...and then I had one...

I can't imagine my life without all the things boys bring into a family...Hot Wheels, pockets stuffed full of treasures, sporting equipment, dirt, a bazillion Lego pieces, sticks, rocks...and the BEST hugs!!  

 Stuff I LOVE about Mack:

1.  He LOVES his sisters.  He would drop anything and anyone to hang out with them.

2.  He has picked some really awesome friends.  I LOVE the boys who hang out at our house.

3.  He is SUPER quick to jump up if I need help...faster than the girls, for sure!

4.  He is already pretty darn chivalrous.  Yesterday, he was sitting in my favorite chair and when I came upstairs to watch the Closing Ceremonies, he jumped up and said, "Here Mommy, you can sit in your chair."  For a minute, I thought about letting him stay there, but then I thought better of that idea.  If I want him to do that for his wife later, I need to let him do that for me now, right?...RIGHT!

5.  He can still spend HOURS in his room playing with his Legos.

6.  He's perfectly content with simple things.  He just wants his two BFFs over for pizza and the Wii to celebrate his birthday tonight.

7.  He would rather have fruit and veggies than cookies and chips any day for a snack.  

8.  He's pretty sure he can win a gold medal in the 2024 Olympics.  He has watched every minute of the Olympics for the last two weeks, and then tried out all the moves...which is kinda loud when he's practicing his gymnastics floor routine upstairs, but still hilarious to watch.  I'm secretly hoping he goes for track or baseball. 

9.  He still LOVES his blankie.  He secretly sneaks into the laundry room after I wash it, grabs it out of the dryer and stuffs his whole face into it.  (And then he sneaks it back upstairs and hides it back under his pillow.)

I'm pretty glad someone besides me had the great idea to bring this little guy into our family.  I think we're all better because he's here.  

As of today, birthday season is officially upon us.  (Well, it actually starts at the beginning of the summer with June's birthday, but then we get a couple of months off before Mack's birthday in August, so I never actually feel like we're in birthday season until right before school starts.)  After this birthday, we'll have Flowering Buttercup in September, Spell Girl in October and the Scout Master in November.  Phew...let the festivities begin!