Happy Happy Birthday DB Dear!

9 years old, baby! How time flies when you are having fun, right? We measured you this morning and you have grown 2 inches since your last birthday. I can't believe that you are growing right before my eyes! I have asked you to stop several times, but you just won't listen to me!

We had such a wonderful birthday party yesterday at the pool. You had several friends over to our pool for a Pokemon party. Taylor, Tyler and his cousin Orion, Ginny, Anthony and Hayden came to help you celebrate. Payton couldn't come but she stopped by earlier and gave you a present. You played pool games including Sharks and Minnows and Jumping over the noodle. We also had a birthday cake ring toss in the pool, and there was an awesome Pokemon version of pin the tail on the donkey. You got some awesome presents, including about a million Pokemon cards, 4 nerf guns, a Ninjago lego set, a Target gift card, a Transformers movie, and a Pokemon reference book. You have some good friends here. I hope you appreciate them and do your best to be a good friend to them too. Here are some pictures from your party:






Now today is your actual birthday! You were a little bummed when you realized that your birthday was on a Sunday but when I told you it was Conference Sunday, you were very happy about that! You already opened Grandma and Grandpa's Kidd and Shoff's presents this morning. Your grandparents love you so much and are so thoughtful of you! You got even more Pokemon cards (is that enough yet???) and are getting quite the collection now, and you got a cool atlas of Utah that has places that you have lived, visited, and relatives houses marked. I hope that you can always consider Utah one of your "homes." Utah is a special place for our family. That is where you were born, where Mom and Dad were married, and where our family officially started. And don't forget that Aunt Jessica sent you a card with TEN DOLLARS in it! You can't wait to go to Target and spend that money and your gift card! I just hope you don't use that money for more pokemon cards! You have upwards of 400 cards now. Good grief!!

Son, you have grown and learned so much since your last birthday. You are currently on the swim team at the YMCA and got 3rd place in the freestyle at the last swim meet. You have a lot of fun and are making so much progress with each practice. You really don't like school right now, but you are very good at reading, math (though you won't admit it) and are enjoying your piano lessons on Wednesdays. You earned your Wolf Badge in Scouts after a lot of hard work this summer. You love your little brother (though you won't admit it) and love to hang out with him after school. You guys have so much fun together....and get in trouble a lot, but deep down inside, I am glad you get along well (for the most part). Here are some of my favorite pictures of you from the last couple of weeks:






I will be taking some more "official" 9 year old pictures this week, so be prepared buddy! I love you, my son. You made me a mommy and continue to make me be the mommy I need to be every day. Our family just wouldn't be the same without you. Have a happy birthday today, and I hope you have a very wonderful, amazing and memorable year as a 9 year old!

Love,
Mom