Happy Birthday Monte

Today my oldest baby turned nine. This birthday really hit me hard. Nine. Wow! That is half way to 18! Does that mean that my time with him is half over? Were these the good years? Will he dislike me and his father and hide away in his room as a teenager? The first 9 years went by so quickly I can't even imagine how fast the next 9 will go.

Monte is my first born. The one I had all to myself for 3 years. My laid back one. My thoughtful one. My caring one. The responsible one. My helpful one. The child that will do right even when no one is watching.

He is also silly, as I am believing all boys to be. He loves to be outside, to run, to ride his bike, to play baseball. He is also ornery and likes to tease his younger brother.

He is now old enough to go hunting with his dad. He shot his first deer a couple weeks ago. A 7 point buck. I've never seen him so proud of himself. I cried I was so happy for him.

He also likes to listen to music and is old enough to ask for an ipod for Christmas. He loves to build legos, his hobby as he puts it, and doesn't like to play video games. He has also found the love of reading a good book, and watching a NASCAR race.

He is also my picky eater. He even gets upset that he doesn't like things that we all like. As is our tradition on birthdays he gets to pick what we are going to eat for dinner. He picked hamburgers from our favorite place. And I will tell you that one year we ate McDonald's.

He was my first baby, and I'll never forget that feeling of holding him in my arms for the first time. Or the first time I nursed him. After many hours of trying he finally gave in. I gave him no other choice but to nurse or to go hungry. And once he did, there was no turning back.

I should also mention that he was born on his due date. Thanksgiving. At 2:30 when everyone else was eating dinner. My little butterball! And 20 minutes after he was born the hospital brought me Thanksgiving dinner. No, I'm not joking. As if I could eat.

I could go on and on. But I would just like to add that Monte is sweet, and kind, and generous. And I am SO proud of him, and the young man he is growing up to be.