11 year old Ben??? NO WAY

OK well it happened and I didn't even cry (on the outside).  Benjamin went ahead and turned 11 despite all of my requests to stay 10 forever.  He wakes up, walks into my bedroom and plops down on the bed just waiting for me to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY, but all I could do is just look at him and smile.  Seems like just yesterday that he was born.

Ben was the kind of baby everyone wants.  I admit to taking him to the doctor on occasion insisting that there was something wrong with him because he didn't cry.  I thought maybe he was deaf.  I could vacuum under his crib and he would just keep sleeping.   He ate everything under the sun, laid down with out crying, took two naps a day and slept all night long.  Perfect.    He began toddling around and we contemplated helmets as he tried to balance his head (slightly out of proportion to the rest of his body to say the least).

 He would sit in baskets and crunch on ice at nanny's house and snuggle up to Simon (his future best buddy in history).  His favorite shows were Barney and bear in the Big Blue House and he loved dancing around the living room with Bailey.  His favorite toy?   HOT WHEELS.   Not to crash into each other like other kids.......just to line up in perfect bumper to bumper order all around the house by color.   

So these are the things I thought of looking at him and David says over my shoulder "Happy Birthday buddy!" because I couldn't get it out without becoming a blubbering idiot.  My Bennie turned 11 anyway. So since I have no control over it I just go with it.  Looking forward to the man he will be one day holding on to the baby he will always be in my heart.  I watch him grow so fast, set new goals, fit right in with kids two years older at school, try new things, and I am just so full.  What a great kid!  What a great God I have to give me Ben.  I am so thankful.

A little side story because I told Ben I had to blog on it......We went to the park in Derby last night so Ben could go for his Language Arts class.  On the way there he and his friend Delaney (She is Ben's BFF as school) were shopping at the gas station.  She is standing there and pointing saying "ooo I love those and these are my favorite, you pick...I have to go to the bathroom."  Ben thinks she is gone and laughs saying, "This girl is gonna make me broke!"  Over his should she says "I heard that Ben!"  I thought I might die laughing I had to leave the store.   

Just how many things can be crammed into a weekend?

OK so fisrt things first, lets all wake up at the crack of dawn (8:00 at my house lol) let's eat some granola bars because mom is too lazy to cook breakfast or go shopping for milk.  Then lets do a mad dash through the house to get it cleaned up just in case we show our house while we are gone (which never EVER happens).  Simon will come downstairs fully dressed to leave for his football game (which isn't for twoo hours but he looks so cool he can't resist the urge to be in full pads while cleaning the house).  David will take Simon to practice before the game (because the four day a week practices aren't quite enough) Ben will tag along and chill at South High and wish he would have waited and came later with mom.  Mom and Bailey zip around the house making sure everything is perfect when NO ONE comes to look at the house yet again.   Dawna drops of Shaun (so we have an even number of riding partners (more later).  Mom, Bailey and Shaun zip over to Dick's sporting goods (where we should by now own half of the stores with the money we have spent) to buy Simon a girdle because we now have our 3rd hernia to represent the third year of competitive sports. 

Moving on to the Game where mom, Shaun, and  Bailey arrive to find we are too late for Simon to put on the girdle CRAP.  We get our borrowed lawn chairs (thanks Sam) situated ready to watch Simon play to find out we are too close and need to move back so the team doesn't get flagged.   In football language this means "please move your chairs back so we can stand in front of you so you can't see for the entire game".   We commense to watch Simon's team get slaughtered, expcept when the almost score near half time and mom gets so excited she jumps up and plops down into her chair and breaks it (sorry Sam).  The game was agrivating and the coaches were, to say the very leas,t hacked that the boys didn't know their positions, at this point mom reserves her swearing and all other appropriate commentary.

Moving right along........we leave the game come home, throw some powder on simon and call it good.   Then time to load up in the car.  Ben and Simon have decided that for their birthdays they want to combine and take a trip to KC to conquer Worlds of Fun ....so off we go.

The excitement is cute all the way to Emporia at which point we begin to threaten them that we will turn around and come home if one more sound of fun or excitement makes its way to the front seat.  So nap time it is.   Then we get to the hotel room and set up.  David really enjoyed this part, but not near as much as Simon.

Simon and Shaun are glued to the window where they are able to take in a threatening view of the MAMBA in all of its glory.   Suddenly they become very quiet and no one is bragging about riding "everything".   Or not chickening out of the Mamba....together they decided they are still cool even if they don't ride all of the rides.   Bailey and Ben had fun with this .

The kids went to swim and David and take off to Walmart to buy dinner and sunscreen.  Then time for chow and cake for Ben.

After everyone is just about done with their cake and we have all sang Happy Birthday to Ben, like good parents we realize we forgot Simon.  This was to be his party too.  So we make do...

..Nearly setting the place ablaze.  Simon doesn't care at all. Mom feels like a jerk.  Then we head upstairs like good parents, bribing the children with an early bed time that will make the morning come faster.  They all fell for it, even Bailey.   SUCKERS!  Up bright and early to binge on the free breakfast, reminding the kids that this was more of a brunch so to get full.  Simon ate a donut,shaun ate a muffin, Bailey a Bagel and Ben a boiled egg and then the great "I am Full"  which means "I am so nervous I am about to puke and am afraid to eat.  Time to leave for W.O.F.

Like good guardians of Shaun we plop him on the Patriot and tell him not to worry.   By the time the ride is over, our kids are all pumped.   Shauns lips are white and his hands are shaking so badly he can't unbuckle himself.  However, he swears it was a blast and declares that he may not ride the Mamba because it looks "boring". 

awwwww

Simon and Shaun Stewing.....

Ride conquered, Party on!  Once this was out of the way they were on every ride over and over, thankful for the short lines, we rode the Mamba 6 times.  All the while mom and dad learn that we aren't as young as we used to be.   With stiff necks and churning belly's we resort to better things like the train while we let the kids run wild, again exhibiting our excellent parenting skills.

Park closed at 7   dinner done at 9 home by 11:30 Dog tired.   To find out Dad was being nice the whole weekend and had been sick the whole time and didn't say anything.....what a guy.

Next weekend I vote for sleeping   WHEW!

Who I am

I am a wife to David, the best husband in all of creation, I have known him for more than half of my life and every day gets better. When he isn't with me I miss him, I don't like it when he leaves for work and I have a day off because my life is better when he is right next to me.   He is my Dave and I think everyone should have a Dave, just not mine.

I am the mother of Bailey, 15, who loves to grow and stretch me in ways I never thought possible or anticipate. She is a singer, a writer, a smarty pants, a beauty, a sasser,and has a huge heart for the underdog in life. She wants to cuddle and kiss on aids babies in foreign countries. She is my aspiring traveling nurse that wants to save the world and I think she can.  If she ever wraps her mind around how wonderful she is and what she could accomplish in life then LOOK OUT. 

Benjamin, 10, is my brainiac boy who is currently set to graduate highschool at 16 years old. There are no boundaries on what this handsome little fellow can accomplish or be interested in for that matter. He is a trusting little guy who hurts deep when people let him down, but is first in line to forgive and really mean it. Will be a doctor one day and buy me a Land Cruiser (he promised).  He just made honors choir at school and is trying out for city league soon.  He also recently found he has a knack for Tae Kwon Do, I love it!

Simon,9, is my rough and tumble all boy through and through football playing wrestling cutie pants. He is really so much like my brother Zach its crazy. The kid can start a sport, any sport, and in a week or two be one of the best on the team. He just gets it. He is my wiggle worm who can't concentrate for anything which I totally relate to. He is a cuddle bug and a little stud who has assured me I need not worry, he will never move out. Scary thing is I believe him.  He loves all that is outdoors and generally smells like a puppy.