Nine and Feeling Fine!

Amazingly enough, Bud is 9! I know I say this every time one of my kids celebrates a birthday, but I'm always shocked at how old they're getting and how fast they're doing it. Bud was so excited for his birthday. He's like me-- we just love the whole celebration thing. 

I didn't take pictures of the decorations (I know, shocker!), but I was happy that two of the balloons I picked out with him in mind were his favorites-- a silver one and a globe. Even though the decorations are always basically the same, I'm trying to be better about finding something to make it feel more uniquely them.

Bud had a great day at school, I think. His teacher gave him a few extra privileges and it's always nice to be surrounded by friends who wish you a Happy Birthday. I was always kind of bummed when I was a kid that my birthday was during the summer because I missed all of that. 

After school Bud got to go to piano lessons. I say 'got to' because he loves it so much. He loves to learn the piano, especially with the teacher he has now. She rocks. I love that Bud still wanted to do it today.

When he got home from lessons he rode his bike around for a bit while he waited for his requested dinner of fajitas to be ready. Bud got the bike as pretty much his only present this year. We took him the other day to pick it out and I purchased it yesterday afternoon so he could have it for his birthday today. I was afraid that letting him know about it would make his birthday kind of anti-climactic, but this doesn't look like a kid who's let down to me:

I'd be stoked if I got a bike like that, too. (Don't worry, he's not riding without his helmet on. Just posing.) :)

Dinner was fantastic (if I do say so, myself). Bud told me that it was, too. He kept exclaiming, "This dinner is amazing, Mom!" Thanks, Bud. We've decided that we need to make fajitas once a month. Bud was totally on board with the idea, of course. Who wouldn't want to have their favorite food more often?

Bud opened up his one other gift after dinner-- a pair of shorts from his Grandma. They're his favorite kind, so he was super happy to see them in the box. I've got them in the wash right now, in fact, so he can wear them tomorrow. 

It was finally time for cake and ice cream. The kids know what the cake tastes like so they were super anxious to get to the part of the evening where they get to eat it. I made the same sour cream chocolate cake that they (seem to always) request and I frosted it with a stabilized whipping cream that had raspberries folded into it. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but mighty tasty.

I love this little smirk on Bud's face. It is such his personality (that people hardly ever get to see).

This is the Bud he usually presents to the outside world (cutie pie):

So, if you've been following my blog for any length of time (I think there may be one of you left), you may remember that Bud has never (not once!) been successful at blowing his candles out in one try. Not even close. I usually have a long string of blowing attempts to pick from when it comes time to put a blog post together. Not this time!! For the first time, Bud did it in one blow! And quickly, too. I was lucky to capture it.

His lips started doing this…

…and then he suddenly blew, hard, straight down the middle with absolutely no side-to-side movement of his head. I mean, it looks like there's absolutely no way the candles on the side are going out…

…but then they were. Out. Every single one. 

Woah! What just happened? HOW did that just happen??? You did it, Bud! Happy Birthday!  We have loved calling you ours for 9 years and we can't wait to see what year ten brings!