Graham's 11!

I think it's a very good idea to take pictures of the Birthday person at EXACTLY the time they were born however many years ago.  Here's what Graham looked like the moment he turned 11 years old this morning at 8:15am.

Ok first of all, how nice am I that I didn't rouse him from a peaceful slumber so I could get his cute face on film?  And second, how weird is he that he sleeps in this mummified state?  Not long after this picture the kitchen aromas woke him up and he joined us for cinnamon rolls, orange juice and the actual breakfast he had requested, bean and cheese omelets.  Alif had to get Malachi off to soccer practice so I wrapped Alif's omelet in a big tortilla and he was so happy about his bean and cheese breakfast burrito.  ;-)

Later we got the house all ready for the big event: The Duct Tape Party.  Graham is totally duct-tape obsessed so this was a dream come true for him.  He has been working for 3 days straight, doing nothing else, making items out of duct tape for all of his friends who would be coming to the party.  He made wallets, bows, one-dimensional balloons for party decorations, a real working checkers board, duct tape flowers.

I, in turn, provided the duct tape. Oh - also green and yellow party supplies (his favorite colors).  And I made him a duct tape cake, which actually made him laugh and laugh.  Dude!  He is not a child who gets outwardly excited.  His laughing and laughing was a BIG DEAL, man!  He L O V E D it.  LOVED.

We totally covered the cake plate in black duct tape too.  This was such a fun party!! 

He had a ball opening his gifts and told me later that it was such an awesome party and he got everything he asked for. 

And the only time I even came close to losing it was when I saw him sitting there with a cake in front of him that said "11".  What I wouldn't do to snatch one of those 1s off and have him turning 1 again.  But dang, he's a neat kid.  Happy Birthday, sweet boy!  Mommy loves you!