about making my son cry on his birthday...

"Why did I ask you to do this mom?!!"
Holding an icepack on your face while opening gifts.

A Texas Donut Birthday cake made you smile again.

Dear Ben,

I love you. You are the best of boys. You bless my life on a daily basis. You are a gift.

Yesterday we celebrated your ninth birthday. Yes, nine, already. You mentioned to me the other day that you were, "so done with eight." Truth be told...you were born old. We could see it reflected in your newborn eyes...a kind of "knowing look."

You know about compassion.

You know about friendship.

You know about humor.

You know about faith.

And, as of yesterday, you know about pain.

Yes, your own mother made you cry on your birthday.

I'm sorry.

I don't think that we will be doing the "extreme food birthday" again in the future.

Maybe the "habenero wings challenge" wasn't the best idea for a party game.

I'm sorry buddy.

(all photos courtesy of Jennifer Palanuk...thanks for bringing your camera:)