10 Years Plus One

My son turns 11 today.  For me August 4th is my own personal holiday.  It's the day when everything changed.  Changed for the better. (Although there are times when I question that:  when we had the tantrums, and now we're entering the obnoxious tween years...)

These past 11 years have been amazing.  I've documented them through words and photos.  Today, I've decided to cut down on the words and up the photos to commemorate this important day:



Day one; birthday zero.  How happy was I?  How exhausted?  How nervous?  It was the beginning of something great. Unknowingly, I also started an annual tradition...



One year old and the annual photo tradition is born.  The one-sie says King James.  And he certainly was.  King of his family and charmer of all those around him.



Birthday number two.  This is AFTER ice cream cake, which is why he is wearing a gray sleeveless shirt and not the one I had originally had on him (which was covered in icing). He’s already showing his impish side.  I had to wrap my arms around him to keep him still.



Three years old and celebrating at the shore.  The swim trunks and t-shirt had turtles on them.  They were a favorite of his.  It's all been part of his lifelong (thus far) love of all things aquatic. 


Birthday number four and he wasn't happy to do photos.  (Though you can't tell from this one.)  There were many attempts and complaints about doing this.  It was a hot day that he spent at home playing with his new Playmobile pirate ship.


The sticker says it all:  I'm 5.  Back at the shore.   Birthday number 5 was a big one with more than one celebration.  The weekend before he had his first birthday party at the little gym with tumbling and fun.  And of course, lots of cake!



At age six he was way too big for my lap.  Try as I might he kept slipping off!  This was the first time he had a special t-shirt that proclaimed he was the birthday boy. (I can't remember exactly how he got it.  It may have come from school??)






Once more at the shore and another "homemade" shirt to commemorate the occasion.  This one was definitely "made" by me   How big is that 7-year-old???  



A mature looking 8.  Celebrating his birthday at the shore, the summer after Superstorm Sandy. Didn't think we'd be able to pull it off, but we did.  We ARE stronger than the storm.

Nine years old and he's almost as tall as I was.  Being at home meant the day was celebrated with Lego building.  (If you look closely you can see Legos in the background.  If you step into my house, you'll "feel" the Legos too)


Which brings us to last year...when he hit double digits.  Still trying (and not succeeding) to keep him on my lap.


Today marks year number eleven and annual photo number twelve.  He's as tall as I am now (maybe even a little taller), so who knows how we'll manage to pose.  (Maybe I should be on his lap?)  But there is one thing for certain.  There WILL be a photo.  And there WILL be even more memories.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

We Have Taken America Back

It's Not About Starbucks (or is it)?

As Is