Mondays...and Stitch is 7!

     So, today was Monday.  All day.  One of those days where bedtime cannot come soon enough.  No one was really terrible, just a lot of foolishness which compounded to get on my nerves quickly.  The kind of day that ends with a little person mumbling about "mom not liking us."  Yikes.  So, after an explanation and a conversation about how to make our time go more smoothly, we all decided to try to have a better day tomorrow.  Sometimes that is all you can do.  Go to bed and start fresh with a new day.  

     I think tomorrow will be better right from the start -- because tomorrow we are celebrating Stitch's birthday.  He will be seven.  Our littlest guy with the biggest personality.  This kid never meets a stranger.  And he always has something to say...about everything.  And sometimes the stuff is truly cringe-worthy as a parent.  But somehow he manages to get people laughing about the most outrageous stuff!  For example, a couple of weeks ago, he told an older man we know who has to use oxygen that he looks like Darth Vader!  And (thankfully) everyone thought is was the funniest thing ever!  And a few months ago, he asked a man in our church how old he was.   The man replied that he was seventy.  So Stitch answers in a musing tone, "Huh.  You're old enough to be dead, but you're still alive!"  Seriously, how do you handle that as a parent?!  But everyone just loves him to death.  It is obviously a gift.  Maybe he will be a pastor when he grows up...able to say the hard truth to folks and somehow they still love him.  

     He is so excited about this birthday.  I am not sure why.  We don't really have anything extra special planned.  But he has been asking and planning, and counting the days until his birthday since about November.  (By the way, y'all, it is not easy to count how many days between November and January before 7:00am for this girl! And he always asked first thing in the morning!)  But I hope to have a treat for him to take to school and share with his friends tomorrow, and maybe pancakes for his birthday breakfast.  I guess birthdays are just more exciting when you're seven.  

     He has definitely made our lives more exciting.  He has a tender side that he tries to keep hidden under a tough guy exterior.  He does his best to keep up with his big brothers and show them that he is just as strong as they are.  But he adores his baby cousins and broadly hints to dad and mom that he would like another little brother.  

     So, happy birthday to our sweet, funny guy.  And maybe tomorrow will not be a Monday!  :)