9 years old

I wasn't going to mention this but.....I'm currently only typing with 9 fingers (which is way harder than it sounds) so this has been painfully slow to write. Not to make Nate's birthday post about me but to explain, I stabbed the palm of my hand with a steak knife (don't ask. it involves major stupidity and cutting with a knife pointed right at my palm. yeah, ouch!). I hit some nerves in my hand that affect my fingers. Currently the index finger on my left hand is numb, tingly and pretty much non functioning for most purposes, definitely for typing. My middle finger felt that was at first and now feels normal. I'm hoping this one will too and not in the next 6 months either. Now would be preferable. I should just leave all the typos I'm correcting for fun. I need to find some way to laugh right?

I can't believe it's been 9 years.

What I love about Nathan~

1. He's adorable. Dashing. Handsome. Cute. Heartbreaker Cute. Of course I'm his mother but he's as cute now as the day he was born. He looks just like he did as a baby. Big wide ,dark eyes, dark eye brows and pinch-able cheeks. Oh to have him be a baby again just for a day. (if it weren't for the finger, I'd find a baby photo).

2. He is such a good boy. Sure he's a 9 yr old boy and can get very silly, rambunctious, wild/crazy but he has a really good heart and looks out for others. He doesn't like others getting picked on and finds the good in friends.

3. He is turning into a reader. I've held off letting him read Harry Potter thinking it would be over his head and he wouldn't understand/follow it. Crazy I know. He's just started the 4th book, Goblet of Fire, and is loving the books. He's passing the AR tests at school and asks all sorts of questions. I love seeing him lost in a book.

4. While it does need to be toned down a bit at times, he is confident. He can do anything, just ask him. He can play football, beat you in a race, eat more hot dogs than you and probably even sleep better. It's a fine line, I don't want him to lose his confidence but I also don't want him to lose friends down the road. Working on toning this one down.

5. He's funny. Just a couple days ago after school he asked me this while he ate his snack. 'Mom, which is better, Geico, Progressive or State Farm?' I started laughing and he said back, 'Well I want State Farm when I'm older. No wait, I want Geico, they can save you 40%'. What in the world?? The TV wasn't on and he rarely watchs it after school. When it's nice outside they are riding bikes or playing with the neighbors. I guess than means he has a good memory too.

6. He loved having our garden this summer. He was the first one out there watering it and picking produce. Now if next year we can get him to actually eat more of it we'll be doing great.

7. He loves to learn. He started wanting to write in cursive long before he was taught in school. He had me write out the whole alphabet and he would practice one at a time until he got quite good. When Kat was learning her mutiplication facts last year he took it on a year early. Right now he's studying rocks and he wants me to read about everything he's learned. I hope this sticks!

8. He has a testimony of the gospel. He doesn't seem to be listening much of the time at church or FHE or scripture study but when I try to stump him on questions, he answers them almost every time. He knows what is right and wrong. He knows how much our Savior loves him.

9. He loves Milo and I, Kathryn, Dane and Reed so much. I'm so glad he hasn't reached the age of not hugging and loving on us. I'll take all I can, for as long as I can! He loves all our extended families too. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, all the 'greats' we have. He doesn't care, if I mention we are seeing cousins he is that much more excited before he even knows which ones. He loves babies too. He always wants to hold them and talks so cute with them.

I love you so, so much buddy. Slow down just a little, I'm not sure if I can take how much faster the next 9 years will go. Happy Birthday to you sweet son!