My baby boy turned double digits

A week ago, yesterday, my baby boy turned 10. It is so hard to imagine that 10 years ago our family would be blessed in such a big way. We were so excited when we found out I was pregnant with Cole. I had miscarried the previous year and we had kind of given up on getting pregnant. When we had our first doctor’s visit, my due date for Cole was the same day as the baby I miscarried. That was such a neat feeling.

I loved being pregnant with Cole. Other than not sleeping and having pregnancy induced carpal tunnel, I had a great pregnancy. Since I lived over an hour from the hospital and Cole was due during an unpredictable weather time of year, my OB suggested being induced. (Plus, he was expected to be a big boy!) The induction ended up in a c-section and the rest is history.

Cole is such a handsome and smart young man. I love listening to him tell stories. He always asks such inquisitive questions and he is so curious about how and why everything works the way it does. He’s tall for his age. He likes Transformers and his little sister. He enjoys playing outside and being alongside anyone of us. He is very family oriented and he’s a momma’s boy. He enjoys playing the wii and he likes to write stories. He is an excellent artist and he cracks us up with his inventions. He’s a homebody. He loves Chick-Fil-A and Incredible Pizza. He plays the piano by ear and is extremely creative. He’s a lefty and he keeps a messy room. He’s sassy and opinionated. He can get mean, but he’s always sorry. He has always been big for his age and people have always expected more from him because they think he is so much older than what he is.

I love that he is growing up and I get to see some amazing changes in his personality and temperament. However, I’m very sad that everything happens so fast. I wish time would slow down and allow him to be a kid a lot longer.

Cole dreams of big things, but is incredibly happy with the most simple moments. The best gift that I can give him right now is time. Time to become the person he wants to be and to pursue the desires of his heart. He’s at the age now where I can’t always make everything better and sometimes things hurt.

I want the best for Cole. I want him to care about others and put God first in his life. I want him to love someone deeply someday and hopefully have a sweet family of his own one day. As of right now though, he says he won’t get married and he won’t have me any grandbabies.

For Cole’s birthday this year, he wrote down places he wanted to go on brightly colored index cards. He handed me the stack and allowed me to choose which place he would get to go. We ended up eating at Pizza Hut (his choice) and going to Buffalo Wal-Mart. He always wants to go there because it’s so small and he “doesn’t have to wait as long because I don’t like as much stuff.” He’s wise beyond his years. :)

The day after his birthday, we had another bonfire birthday party at the house. He has had a bonfire party for more years than I can remember now. What’s funny is he does it for everyone else. He knows they enjoy it and I think he knows they will come if there is food. He barely eats a hot dog on the fire and rarely roasts marshmallows. He is always so busy playing inside that he doesn’t get out much. This year, he had a friend from his class, Cooper, spend the night. They played his new wii game until about midnight and then they went to bed. He got lots of birthday money at his party and some great gifts. Believe it or not, he hasn’t even spent all the money yet. I’m hoping he will save some of it.

Here’s to hoping this year will go by a little more slowly than last year did.

On the way to his favorite Wal-Mart

Sitting with Daddy at Pizza Hut

Being silly with his straw

Sissy enjoying the cheesy crust Cole chose

Yes, we take pictures at Wal-Mart next to anything with LOST on it!

John and Cole burning brush piles before the party

Cole decided he wanted Neopolitan ice cream, cookies, brownies, Rice Krispie treats, and fondue with strawberries, bananas, graham crackers and marshmallows instead of the traditional birthday cake. We had to put his candles in his brownies.