Jammer's "Golden" Birthday

This post a s a little belated as Jammer's birthday fell in July but better late than never! It's hard to believe that Jammer is now 12 years old.  Only one more year till he's a teenager.  He has grown up so much in the past year, becoming a young man before our eyes.  I think his shoe size has gone up 5-6 sizes and he has shot up at least six inches, while his voice has dropped an octave.  It's getting difficult for him to hit the falsetto notes that the children's choir director at church wants him to hit.  He is also growing in responsibility as the oldest son in the house.  He has taken on babysitting his siblings - although he often wrangles Runner into accomplishing many of the tasks that need to be done.  They make a good team though!  He had his first dog sitting job and has learned how to mow the yard -definitely the mark of coming of age.

On the night of his actual birthday - his golden birthday - we gathered as a family for his favorite dinner, none other than homemade Macaroni-and-Cheese.  This has been his birthday dinner request for as many years as I can remember.  You may be asking, "what is a golden birthday?"  Your golden birthday is the birthday where you turn the age that the day of the month you were born on is.  Jammer turned 12 on July 12th - his golden birthday.  All the kids reminded us several times that it was Jammer's golden birthday coming up - it had to be special!  At our family birthday dinners we get to honor the birthday boy or girl.  When we honor someone we go around the table and share something we appreciate most about him and/or a virtue we have seen evidence of in that person over the past year.  Often from the younger crowd we get the line, "he's a good brother because he plays with me."  They are all growing in learning how to honor their siblings.

It was fun to reminisce about the night that Jammer was born.  How I was told in the hospital that I was in false labor and sent home.  Jon did not want to be sent home again so he wanted to be sure I was in labor.  After we were sent home the same "symptoms" persisted through the night and into the next day, but he was convinced I wasn't in labor because that is what the Nurse told us.  Being our frst child, we didn't know any different.  However, when my whole body started shaking, Jon decided to call the nurses line and they said, "Ok.... bring her in."  I couldn't even sit through the 30 minute car ride to the hospital.  I was banging the door yelling, "Get this baby out of me!  If this isn't labor I don't want to go into labor!"  It wasn't the serene picture with soft music and candlelight that they taught you to picture in the Lamaze class!  We arrived at the hospital to find I was 9 cm dilated and after about an hour Jammer was born.  I was so elated and then I fainted, Jammer in my arms. Thank goodness Jon was at my side and caught him as he rolled off my chest.  I was only out for less than a minute, my body had just had enough after 25 hours of labor!  We were so excited to be parents.

After dinner Gabriel got to open his gifts from us and his grandparents.  Jammer is a big music guy - he's usually either listening to it, downloading it, playing the piano or guitar, or composing his own on the computer.  He has had a guitar for a couple years and has taught himself a bit but we gave him one month of guitar lessons for his birthday (I got a GREAT deal) and a Karoake machine with lights for him to do his "concerts" with his siblings and friends.  Here is a picture of Jammer and Runner giving it a whirl:

Since it was Gabriel's golden birthday, we said he could have a party this year and he decided he wanted to have a family party.  He didn't want to just invite his friends but the families of friends that we have.  We have a wonderful community here and have been blessed to have great friends.  We decided to gather up at the pavilion at our neighborhood park.

So we started off with football......

While the little ones enjoyed the playground and Jon, with the help of some of the other Dads, grilled....

We then gathered to eat while being serenaded with Christain music, sang on the Karoke machine....

As it is usually at least 100 degrees in July in Texas, we were pleasantly surprised by a much more bearable low 90's with a nice breeze.  However we were all still quite warm.  So it was a blessing that we were able to rent our neighborhood pool for a very reasonable price from 8-10pm. So we capped off our night with a dip in the pool....

And of course then there was the clean-up.  You see how the camera has changed hands.  Hmmmmm...

Overall, I think a fun night was had by all and it was a wonderful celebration of the life of a very special boy.  I'm trying to slow down and enjoy every moment with Jammer, as his days of being a "kid" are quickly passing.  I enjoy watching him grow and mature and I enjoy his laughter and humor....well at least some of the time...come on 12 year old buy humor is a bit difficult to always embrace.  He is now on a quest to compose a video for Funniest Home Videos.  I enjoy the deeper conversations we are now having as he gets older, but also the fact that he will build legos and play with Peanut.

Happy Birthday my dear son....another year under your belt, another year towards growing into the man God is calling you to be.  It is so exciting to watch and to be a part of God's great plan for you.  We love you!