Birthday Present

Jack,

Your 8th birthday dawned with you vomitting.  You were sick the night before but hopeful that you would feel better on your birthday.  You were so excited to go to school and bring in your cupcakes but as you opened your Lego gift that morning from us, you vomitted all over the place.  If we had taken a picture at that moment, it would have been worth a thousand words about this birthday for you.

Our fingers were crossed since we had your whole class, cousins, boy scouts, and neighborhood friends invited to a jumping party at Sky Zone the next day and it was too late to cancel.  By evening, I had reason to feel hopeful.  You seemed greatly improved.  You were even able to eat and keep it down.

Your Sky Zone party happened as planned and it was wonderful.  You had so much fun with your friends and cousins.

That night, though, I came down with the illness and within a half hour, Audrey was vomitting with me.  We were a sick pair that night.  We had to cancel the family party for your birthday the next day which we had already prepared for.  To your credit, you were a trooper.  You didn't complain that your party was cancelled, you just said you hoped we got better really soon.  Daddy took you to a movie while Audrey and I recuperated and the next night, Daddy was sick.

Hopefully your 9th birthday is a much healthier one!  I think we just got this out of the way and you'll never have another birthday like that again.

And you have glasses now!  One of your eyes has weaker vision than the other so the glasses you have now help correct that.  You really seem to like them and are very good about keeping them on.  I think you are adorable in them.

Audrey,

You continue to have training difficulty.  I blame myself for saying out loud that it's easier to train girls than boys.  Getting you to sit on the toilet or change yourself after an accident frequently results in the majority of your toys being placed on top of the refrigerator before you comply.  I think this phenomenon is becoming a sign to your Dad when he comes home of the kind of day we had.  If there are a ton of toys on top of the refrigerator, I have noticed he comes over and asks me how I'm doing.  If there aren't, he greets you guys and starts playing with you.

You also have become best friends with our old dogs.  You love to give them treats and talk sweetly into their faces.  They are very happy for the attention and will let you put blankets on their backs to keep them warm.  I don't even think twice about it now when Audrey walks by with a pink Teddy bear blanket draped across her back.  You will also stick toys into boxes and bring them to the dogs and show them what is inside and then look in their eyes to make sure they are happy with the present that you gave them.  So cute. 

The dogs like it best when you open a bag of treats and give them every treat in the bag before I realize you have done so.  They are already fat - and like a thousand years old.  I think they will be fine.

Love,

Mommy