Kade's 10th birthday

Isn't he such a big kid?  I mean seriously!  He's so grown up and big and 10!!!  Wowza!  I just love this boy SOOO MUCH!

Kade’s birthday was a little bit sad this year.   The Saturday before his birthday, Jess and I had planned to take Kade out to Seven Peaks Fun Center for some arcading and LASER TAGGING.  We had our babysitter all set, and then.....Rhett threw up….  So we decided to move it to Kade’s actual birthday so we wouldn't have to leave Rhett.  Kade was bummed about it, but understood.  (Rhett threw up like a gajillion times that evening and Luke started in on it too so it was a good call)

But then the next evening…me and Mom started our turn with throwing up.  Kade woke up bright and early on his birthday--and I was able to pull it together enough for him to open his presents.   Mom apparently heals faster then me (probably on account of her voodoo oils J) and did sooooooooo many great and amazing and nice things for me that day.  She picked up donuts in the morning so Kade could bring them for his class. I didn’t want to make the cake feeling so gross, so I ordered one from Maceys and Mom picked it up for me.  She got Max and Rhett lunch and…ahh—seriously—she was so so great.

ANYWAY, it made me so so sad not go on the birthday date with Kade, but so happy that Jess wasn’t sick (yet) and could take him out.  They did have a GREAT time too.  They went around the arcade systematically to see which games paid out the most tickets.  Jess said Kade was just so so so happy the whole time.  They won like 2,500 tickets too!  Kade bought a gift for all of his brothers with his tickets (he’s sweet like that) and a big plush mace (with which to beat his brothers with :)

Jess in the mean time was loving being with Kade so much but trying to hold it together as he was coming down with the Fun Bug as well.  They picked up Papa Johns Pizza on the way home and came home to a bunch of sickies who only wanted soup….

Anyway—nobody was hungry for cake-not even Kade, so the evening was spent with him reading his new book from Grandma Winn (House of Hades) and me laying next to him like a slug.  

The next evening we lit the candles and had his birthday cake from Maceys.

A couple of weeks later Andrea took Kade out for his birthday--she's a rad aunt like that.

Kade's 10th year:  He did tons of sports--soccer, wrestling, gymnastics, swimming; he just finished Lego League which was so fun for him, and he loves being in 4th grade (a large part due to the bajillion field trips)!

He loves any chance to babysit the other boys when I'm at gymnastics, he'll surprise me and change little Max's diapers now and again, he LOVES when we let him steer the car, he likes being able to stay up the latest (even if it's just 15 minutes longer then Luke), he still reads all the time, play video games and bacon.  What he doesn't love is sharing a room with all his brothers-on account of his cleaning up their messes a lot.  He's such a responsible little guy.  He's a 30 year old trapped in a 10 year old's body with his maturity level and conversation style.  But also.....not. (see below :)  

He's quick, and witty, and a genius like his dad-- and SO inquisitive!  I feel like my responses to him are an eternal round of,"You know, I bet your dad would know that." or, "That's not true!...Is that true?" 

He tries to make everyone happy.  If a brother is sad, he tries to help.  If someone is crying, he's the first to throw himself to the floor and pretend he's hurt to try and cheer that brother up (so much slap stick around here!)  I LOVE hearing "Mom, do you want to cuddle?" during a movie, or seeing him care for his brothers soooo well and so often.
If Max gets mad at me for something, Kade is the first kid he runs to for
solace. :)

We'll find him creating games for all the boys to play and being silly.  He really enjoys playing with his younger brothers. Whether it be making a snowman, jumping on the tramp, or building forts in their room, he loves them and tries to take care of them.

He also fights with his brothers....the moments are few where he and Luke DON'T have their arms around each others necks (not in a hug) trying to drag the other to the ground.  (So glad for those wrestling lessons :/)..most of the time it turns out happy....sometimes-not so much :)  

Boys will be boys. 

Right?

Here's a pic with just 1 of the 1 trillion guns that he makes, out of tinker toys, every time we go to Grandma Winn's house.

He's way cool :)

(Kade taking time to "taste" his food at Rodizio Grill-ha!) He makes me laugh all the time.  He remembers every funny thing from every movie and cracks me up with his movie quotes a lot--

plus he's silly--I like that.

He's a boys boy!  (snake in jar)

Also he's adorable in every way and I am soooooooo grateful to be his mom!!!