The Boy is 8!
...as of September 17. I'm late on my posting...

That can't be right. Seriously--My baby boy is 8? I went back through 8 years of pictures, just to check. Sure enough. He's 8.

And what an awesome 8-year old he is! We LOVE him SO MUCH!

A look back (mind you, these aren't even close to all, or even the best, but you'll get the idea):

7 lbs. 7 oz.

He got stuck after pulling all the toilet paper off. I left him in there screaming while I got the camera. This picture made me think of two things: 1st--"That is hilarious!" 2nd--"Wait a minute, do I really want to deal with these sorts of things again?" I know--too late.

Things he loved--Balls and...

...toilets. Or, even better, Ballsandtoilets. Toilets make a a really fun, wet "hoop."

We have numerous photos of him with his arm like this. When some kids see a camera, they immediately smile. When the boy saw a camera, it was his cue that the camera person was going to play "catch" with him. When I approached him with a camera, he would huck whatever ball he had in his hand at the time--full speed--at me. Note: It is hard to catch a ball and take a picture at the same time. I got hit more than once (thinking, "he won't throw it this time").

Another picture with the "throwing arm." You will also notice that on this particular occasion, I managed to capture the ball coming at me--not by trying, mind you. As I recall, I managed to move just in time. A golf ball would have hurt me or the camera, or both. When I looked at this picture afterward, I couldn't believe I managed to get both the boy AND the ball IN FOCUS, as I remember moving very quickly out of the way.

The other funny thing about this photo is what was transpiring at the time. We had gone to the golf course to look at the ducks in the pond. The problem was that the pond is also right next to the practice putting green. We could not keep the boy at the pond. He was not interested in ducks. What he was interested in was picking up people's balls and dropping them in the cups for them. I'm not sure people were amused. We left shortly after this picture was taken.

No explanation needed here.

Love that little face--ice cream and all. (Actually, I love both faces)

Love that little face too.
Those of you who lived here the first summer we moved into this house, may remember that this was the age the boy was when you would see his naked, tanned, little body with it's white, white bottom running around the back yard, swimming suit in hand--trying to find me to help him put it on.

TOUGH KID--the boy is one tough kid. His determination to overcome his challenges is HUGE!

Spinal Surgery:

His cool scar--he now has cool scars on his arm and leg, too.

In his wheelchair before he re-learned how to walk.

Thanks to Derrick for the following snow pictures:

I could not have been more proud at this moment. The boy decided to enter the school's race last year. He worked hard to prepare and did his best. To think of all the years of physical therapy work he had done previous to this, so he could run at all, is mind-boggling!

4th of July this year--he wanted a mohawk for the children's parade--we made it awesome!

Lookin' Cool!

He still loves balls with hoops and water.

He also loves his siblings. The imagination frequently runs wild around here.

Happy Birthday, my Sunshine!