Whew! I'm finally taking a deep breath after a few days of heavy birthday celebrating! I can hardly believe that my oldest is 9 years old! It seems like just yesterday and forever ago that I was driving to the hospital at 5:00a.m. with contractions.

We started our celebrating on Saturday. This was the year for a small birthday gathering. We pretty much have one giant party one year, and then a smaller gathering the next year. This was the year for a smaller gathering. He had about 6 boys, mostly 4th graders, over to the house for a testosterone-filled get together. We had a BBQ with a crown of rib roast (giant slabs of meat eaten with your hands a la King Henry the VIII), corn on the cob, cake & ice cream. The boys kept themselves busy with video games, watching "Iron Man" and running through the house playing terrorists and Navy Seals. Boys are strange. All I can say is that Christopher enjoyed himself immensely and I breathed a sigh of relief when the testosterone levels returned to normal.

Sunday we had the grandparents over to finish up our giant rib roast. Monday, I took 25 cupcakes to Christopher's class for a birthday snack. We then went out to eat at Red Robin to celebrate. I think we're now officially done with the celebrating.

I think back over 9 years and can't believe how much has changed in that interim. My boy who couldn't keep his head up without help is becoming an accomplished boy. 9 years ago my biggest concerns were to make sure he got enough to eat and to keep him clean. My parenting issues these days are in many senses much bigger and harder --teaching kindness rather than snarkiness, teaching how to power through homework with a good attitude rather than berating the fact that you have homework, learning how to keep up with the greater responsibilities that come with age. Yes, there are things left to learn -- but he's got a good start. I'm proud of you, my boy!