"I'm almost 10!!"

"It's my BIRTHDAY today!"

That shouting began around 7:20 this morning....and that particular phrase has been said probably 34 times since then.

But, Colin has been so cute today. He really gets this year what his birthday means--that he is getting older--and that means, in his mind, that he is able to do more things.

"Can I stay up during rest time today?" (This question has been popping up frequently lately. My response today? "Sure.")

"Can I watch Scooby Doo?" (This show is normally off limits, due to the 'scary monsters' that are involved with every stinkin' Scooby Doo episode EVER. My response? "Okay.")

"Can I play my PBS Kids games on your computer?" (Our new laptop. My response? "Uh, NO.")

Colin is a very think-it-through kind of a child. If you ask him why he did fill-in-the-blank, he will stand there and list every single fact and reason of why he came to the conclusion he did to do that certain thing. Or, he asks a million questions about why certain things are the way they are. It reminds me of theorems in geometry....when you had to list the 19 different reasons of how you got from point A to point B. He is that kind of kid--always thinking things out, down to the minute details. Case-in-point:

Tonight, while we were brushing teeth (which were still oozing sugar from the mounds of Halloween candy):

Colin: "Mom!"

Me: "What?!"

Colin: "Did you know that I'm almost 10?"

Me, chuckling: "How do you figure that?"

Colin: "Well.........after five comes six, seven, and eight.........then, after eight comes nine...........and that's almost ten!"

Me, with a giant grin on my face, trying to stifle the laughter: "Yep, Colin, you are surely right. You are almost 10."

Happy Birthday, my sweet almost 10-year-old. I love you more than I could ever say, and I am so thankful that God put you in my arms first. You are so smart, so talented, and such a special part of our family. Your big-boy help to me everyday is such a gift. I can't wait to see what God has in store for you!

(If you are new to my blog since this date last year, you can click here for part one and here for part two of last year's recount of Colin's birth story and a few birth day pictures--it was quite the labor, that's for sure....)

Oh yeah....and Happy Halloween everyone!