The Big 9

Earlier this week, our baby turned 9. This was a hard birthday for me and Rob. For me it was hard because this is the last year he'll be in the single digits...for the rest of his life. For Rob it was hard because he's now halfway to 18, adulthood. This Summer I have watched him go between childhood and teenage behavior. He's becoming more reserved. He likes to spend time in his loft, listening to music and reading or building elaborate Lego vehicles. Other times he'll use his imagination to come up with Ninja Warrior courses or think up jokes. He still likes to ride his bike with his neighborhood friend, chase lightning bugs and jump in the pool at full speed. I hold on to these childhood moments because I know they are fleeting. I cherish the times that he gets excited and talks my ear off about whatever grabbed his excitement because I have a feeling that soon he'll be subdued, limiting his childhood excitement.
This year his birthday celebration was a little more "grown up" as well. We opted out of a big elaborate party this year. He had a neighborhood friend spend the night and then we celebrated at a local trampoline park. Since he is into America Ninja Warrior right now, he loved the trampoline park obstacle courses. He chose to have a cookie cake and wanted Little Caesars pizza for his meal. He was given quite a bit of money for his birthday gifts so he used it to buy a ginormous beanbag and a couple Lego sets. This is the first year that I felt that he really thought about using his birthday money wisely, choosing things that would last. (Just another sign that he's growing up!) Although it was a low key birthday celebration, it was a lot of fun. Full of priceless memories. A birthday I soon won't forget because my baby is growing up way faster than I'm ok with!