SuperGerky is Six

I just cannot believe my first baby is turning six today. He had his party on Sunday, which was chaos, but which he enjoyed. Today we made cupcakes and snuck them in for a celebration at school (they have a nutrition policy but how can you not have cupcakes on their birthdays? It's an integral part of the event, no? At least I tried to make them a bit healthier by using egg whites instead of eggs and unsweetened apple sauce instead of oil - I guess that's how I assuage the guilt). Tonight we will take him to one of his favorite restaurants, Rain Forest Cafe.

Every year on their birthdays I get a little depressed. I don't really know why. Is it just me? Maybe it is the realization that with every passing year we leave his babyhood further and further behind? Maybe it is the realization that I too am a year older? Maybe it is the general passing of time? Maybe it is the realization that this stage of my life is passing way too quickly? I don't know what it is. On the surface it is none of those things. Maybe depressed isn't really it - maybe just a little melancholy. Of course, I am the first one in there singing my heart out to him and smiling and hugging and telling him how proud of him I am and all of these things are true. And of course I tell him all about the day he was born. How it was a beautiful spring like day, 60 degrees, how Daddy came rushing home when I told him it was "time" (even though it took him more than 3 hours since he was working in another state at the time), how the neighbor came to keep me company while I labored and how I felt when I first laid eyes on him. I always thought I would have to write the birth story out so that I would remember it. I remember every single detail of that day. Of course, my husband remembers it all differently, but I know I am right. It was a day that forever changed my life. Wow. Six. Years. Old.

Magician on the other hand is thrilled to have a birthday to celebrate. All of SuperGerky's gifts are his gifts. He thinks he made out like a bandit. Luckily SuperGerky is an amazing brother and shares with the little guy and looks out for him and such. Their relationship often brings a lump to my throat. It makes me want to gather up my big guy and just squeeze him tight.

One quick Magician story and then I need to go back to work. So the other night their two friends came over (brother and sister the same ages) and Magician wanted to play train with the other little boy. He is grabbing the other kid around the waist and shouting "choo choo! Chugga chugga chugga chugga, CHOO CHOO!" and "All Aboard" etc. Well, the other little boy wanted none of it and kept walking away from Magician. But Magician is quite tenacious and held on, following behind him. Finally, the other little boy got free of him and ran into the other room. Magician darts after him screaming "OH NO! RUNAWAY TRAIN!" Tee hee.