First Born

My first born is 6! 6 years old and not slowing down on making it to 7. When I look at him, I know that he is really just one day older than yesterday, but, I can't help but wonder when those extra inches came, and when his face changed so much from being a baby face to being a little boy's. Time certainly plays tricks on you.

Aidan is really growing into a sweet little boy. He is kind and courteous and usually remembers his manners. He loves his sisters, but really thinks that Aralyn is at a fun age. He spends lots of dinners having to go to his room because he thinks she is so funny. He will get to laughing so hard that he can't breathe or sit up straight and we will have to send him to his room to calm down. He will come back calm, and get to chuckling some more because she says something that sounds funny, or she laughs, or she eats with her fingers...anything really will set him off. He just can't quit once he gets started...and sometimes we can't stop laughing at him laughing at her!

I made Aidan's cake this year and I thought it turned out pretty cool. I was told by Aidan that it was the coolest cake he had ever seen, so it passed in his book too. It wasn't the tastiest cake I have ever made, but that was my new icing recipe's fault. I had never used that one before, and now I know it isn't so great. The kids didn't seem to mind, so no harm, no foul.

We had a great birthday party for Aidan this year. Nothing fancy, but lots of fun. We invited his cousins and 4 of his best friends to spend the night in tents and campout in the yard with him. We had 2 huge tents for the kids and they had a great time. We grilled hotdogs and had cheese puffs and cokes to go with them (it was a party, and what else goes that 6 year olds will eat?)

Since we have 11 acres, we decided to take the kids on a little nature hike/walk. They had a good time and all did really well. Some were a little whiny, but there were 9 kids altogether, so a few whines weren't really so bad. I made a mental note to have the kids pack jeans next time they come to avoid a few of the thorny vines we have on bare legs. We found several sassafras trees (lots of small ones), a frog, lots of weaver spiders (hello Charlotte), several kinds of moss, some leaves and sticks and such, mushrooms, flowers, and several other selections of South Carolina's nature. The kids couldn't get enough...we even caught a frog and then made it a little habitat to stay in for the afternoon. I must say, as nice as the party was, and as good as the kids were, 6pm the night before til 11 am the next day was a long time to keep them all busy. And I was so ready for their parents to get them and take them home so we could all take a nap! LOL

Here are Aidan and Alora grinning with some of Aidan's gifts.