Monday May 2, 2011
It seems that April closed without my permission. I want these days of near perfect weather to extend into at least thirty-six hour versions of themselves. There just isn’t enough time in one day to soak up enough sunshine or do all the fun Spring things.
Spring is a fun time for us. In four months time we celebrate four birthdays. I love birthdays. April is Adam’s month. A very special friend of ours celebrated in an even bigger way on Adam’s birthday this year. She got married! Adam was a little disappointed that it meant no big family birthday party for him. He’s gotten so used to having tons of uncles and aunts and cousins to come celebrate that he thinks it’s the norm. We talked through all the, “it doesn’t always work that way” talks and the, “look at the special ways you do get to celebrate and look how we’ll spread your birthday out and you get to have lots of birthday” talks and in the end he was his normal, flexible, adorable self. In fact, I’ve heard him tell several people since, “I got to celebrate my birthday all weekend!” Oh, I love him.
Since David and I had music rehearsal for the wedding the afternoon and evening before his birthday, we went out for dinner two nights prior. Adam had chosen Red Lobster months before and we told him he could choose anything he wanted. Well, he wanted alright. He wanted crab legs and lobster and shrimp and I think he mentioned octopus at one point. He ordered the biggest lobster platter on the menu and ate. every. single. bite of seafood on it except for the taste David and I both got. David ate his fries because he was stuffed. I wonder why?
The next day he celebrated his birthday at school. Having a birthday means you get to forget the blue uniform for the day. It also means your mom will bring a snack to school so you can have a little party. Since Adam is all into space related books right now, his party was pretty easy to plan. A space shuttle cake, astronaut outfits for the attendees, and snacks that defy the lack of gravity. I made hi-fiber bars in the shape of balls and wrapped them in tinfoil. We drank out of plastic bags with straws and, of course, there is always cake. And after that nice little sugar high I bet his teacher was glad to only have a little over an hour of class time left. 
The morning of his birthday before our out of town guests got up, Adam opened his present. Can I just say how much I love my little scientist? Already we get to discuss all kinds of cool science facts and it delights me to no end. He absorbs facts like sugar in a bloodstream and spits them back out at random times completely surprising me with all he remembers.
From the baby in the flowerpot to a responsible seven year old. Happy Birthday, little man with the missing teeth.
happy birthday, mr. adam. you are a unique individual, who has already left a very special mark in this world. in just seven years! you will go far and do big things, i have no doubt!
a special hug to your mom, who is the best mommy in the world to you!
Happy,belated birthday to Adam!Cute birthday party,love the cake!I’m learning all over again with our grandkiddos how much they”absorb”.Blessings to you!
happy birthday to adam…and his mother.
what a cool out-of-this-world party! and a beautiful tribute celebrating your son.
oh but i enjoy your adam’s interests. even his “taste in food.” what a darling little flower pot baby he was. and fine young man he IS.
I think it is SO cool that you and Adam share a lot of the same interests and enjoy talking about them, etc. Such fun!
The party looks splendid and he is growing up to be such a handsome little man!
I wish there were more “Adam stories” from you these days…I miss them!
What a handsome son you have! And I am so amazed that a young boy chooses restaurants with such style, and wants gifts of actual value. HOW do you teach them that?!? To not just want the latest silly bands and crazy fads, like so many kids?? I’d say, great job, Mom and Dad! You’re so inspiring!
oh dear. i was being so focused on my tasks hahaha and then i had something pop into my brain that i just haaaaaad to share. so here i am. back online.
just a little fyi. that is all. the air and space museum in d.c. offers great lectures and they are free. coming up is the annual John Glenn lecture, it looks like a good one and i want to get our names in the hat…so… just a way that offers an opportunity to see and hear astronauts irl. that’s how we saw the apollo 13 crew last year. maybe we could swing by and pick up adam if it doesn’t suite you to go! 🙂
@down_onthefarm – Hey, tell me more!!!! Details, please!!! Adam would love it and so would the rest of us. And then we’d get to see each other … wait, what was that other part about quietly manipulative women?????? 🙂
@appalolly – ME TOO on thinking it’s cool we share so many interests. Don’t tell him that he’s like me in so many ways b/c he is convinced (and very proud of it) he is just like his dad. 🙂
@lifeisadance – How that happens? I don’t know for sure, except that what you encourage happens. I absolutely love science and had huge children’s books on it by the time Adam was two. We talk science and history when it fits and I love, love, love to explain things like that. David is amazing at pointing out birds or knowing the species of insects and reptiles. We like hiking better than roller coasters. And we like salmon better than chicken nuggets. So I guess it kind of happens by default. Not saying it’s a guarantee. I only have two and they are both boys and both young. I may have a crazy fads child next. But I do think what we get excited about rubs off on them. And for me, that comes naturally. But there are some other grown up things that don’t. Like unselfishness and generosity and I am seeing that replicated in Adam as well. We’re pretty normal around here. 🙂 But thank you for your kind words. It’s who I want to be as a mom.
really? tell you more? well…since you are twisting my arm…i’ll talk!i’ll talk! 😉
i’ll send ya links on fb.
and btw. please notice how on task i am being. snort. it’s been almost an hour since i was here!
Yummy looking Birthday dinner! Looks like he had a great birthday!
Happy birthday to Adam! How exciting to have a 7 year old!
Happy Birthday Adam! You picked a great restaurant!
Awesome Cake! Happy birthday to your lil’ guy. 🙂
What a cute cake and the party ideas were wonderful!! happy birthday to your “little guy”.
happy birthday to your super cute little scientist who happens to have great taste in food!! love his choice – my favorite there too! 🙂
So glad to finally see pictures! I love the candles on the bottom of the cake for the blast-off. What a cool touch! I can’t believe he’s so grown up already. I remember the morning he was born as vividly as I remember 9/11. 🙂
Aw. Happy Birthday to your Adam. : )
What a fun, fun birthday! He’s quite an intelligent young boy!!
Happy Birthday to Adam! What great taste in food! Your picture made me want a late night snack!!!
I LOVE how you put the candles in the side of the cake….well, technically according to the ship, the bottom! Very creative.
Hope your week is going well! =)
I had seen this post before, but didn’t have time to comment then, so i came back. Two things I loved… the first sentence: LOL April closed without your permission, you are so hilarious, I love how you write! And the second thing is the candle placement on the cake… genius! 🙂 I did love the whole post though, of course. Spacesuits for the party kids… awesome idea. I’m intrigued with space shuttles too, and watching one take off from the closest point at Cape Canaveral was on my bucket list, but I might have to take it off of that list, the way it sounds. Ha, while I was writing that last sentence, I caught myself let out a big sigh. 🙁 Those last pictures, wow, it is so amazing how you blink your eyes and they instantly go from sleeping in flower pots to studying the stars!
@seasoned_to_taste – and I love your comments b/c you always see all the details and the stuff between the lines!