Nine

With Harry's Birthday, we are now officially 2/3 of the way through Brundage Birthday Season. On Friday, Harry turned nine, and we celebrated. Here's the details...

Wake up to presents...





This kid is always so enthusiastic about presents. My other children should take note. It's more fun to give gifts to kids who get excited about what they get. Here's a little known detail about Harry.... He's never once asked for a video game system, video game, online gaming membership, ipod, or any other electronic device that would require sitting for long periods of time. He has, over the years, asked for many "odd" gifts...crutches, airbrush tattoo kit, costumes, and this year, a pipe. Yeah, a pipe. I don't know why...maybe he's been watching Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter lately. But at the top of a list was a pipe. Second on the list was dry ice to put in the pipe so it would look like he's actually smoking. I know it probably isn't politically correct parenting to give in to these whims. But I have a hard time saying no to such an imagination. So, this year he got a pipe. I did say no to the dry ice. I don't think I took a picture of it, but I wanted to write about it so I don't forget it. He also said to me, "Mom, when we go to Oregon for Christmas, I want to wake up every morning, get my pipe, sit out on the porch in a rocking chair and smoke my pipe". Because in Oregon it's cold enough to see your breath...so it would look more realistic. Again, hard to say no...although I did find it necessary to have a little chat about the Word Of Wisdom. I think we're on the same page there. I hope we're on the same page there.

Anyway, after the morning of presents and pretend pipe smoking, it was off to school. It was a busy day there...last day of school before the break, school assembly in which Harry performed and Charlie received an award and three room parties. By lunchtime, we had had enough, and we checked Harry out and took him to a Firestone Birthday Lunch with Grandpa and Grandma:



He spent the afternoon flying his new helicopter, and then headed to the church for our Ward Christmas Party/Ward Birthday Party for Harry. Again, no pictures. I was pretty much running on fumes at this point. Remember, I still had to pack eight people up to go to Oregon for two weeks and I hadn't even started. Oh! I also had to give a talk in church on Sunday that I hadn't even started to formally write. So things were a little fuzzy for me.

The next day started off with a bang at the Christmas Piano Recital, and rose to a chaotic crescendo as we attempted to take 12 kids, 12 and under to Alvin and the Chipmunks, Chipwrecked. And then back to Coldstone for Ice Cream Cake and a silly string fight. Harry even invited girls to this party. They didn't get anywhere near each other or speak to each other the whole day, but still, that's a pretty big step!





I think, all in all, the day/s were a success. If you consider me not completely losing my mind a success that is.

Happy Birthday Harry. You are and always have been my little Happy Harry. We are so blessed to have you as part of our family.