Happy Birthday dear Mouse

  Last night I slept between an eight year old and a five year old.  This morning I was woken up by a nine year old, full of excitement about being nine, which feels like "such a lucky number", and the highly important date which "won't happen again until I'm 109!"  Despite not seeing his daddy on his birthday, he has been so cheerful and ready to enjoy and be thankful for everything.

 

 There is something so wonderful about our precious boy.  We are truly very blessed to be his family, to know him, love him, and enjoy his imagination, sense of humour, and his loving, loyal personality.  I just am amazed that this lovely lad is 9; the years have melted away.  I think back to that tiny, wide-eyed boy we first knew and loved, and while the enthusiasm for life has never changed, now we get to talk to him about all his passions and interests.

 



 Right now, Mouse loves all things Tolkien (and we are staggered to see this child who has often resisted reading and who not long ago was diagnosed as two years behind in reading sitting and reading "The Hobbit" aloud) and anything historical, especially Roman and medieval history.  He is emphatically a dog person, not a cat person, much to Kitten's chagrin.  He is the king of second helpings.  He is taking more responsibility for his school work and is proud of his sewing and embroidering.  He likes who he is and understands what makes him tick.  Treasure, fossils, armour, weapons, elvish runes, quotes from Tolkien, plans for woodwork - these are the topics that interest him most. 

 He celebrated his birthday with a small party of his favourite friends: Blackberry, M, A and his sister.  They painted little treasure chests, ran about on a treasure hunt that ended with a box of chocolate coins, ate pasta bolognese and popcorn cake, and then curled up on the sofa like a litter of puppies to watch Muppet's Treasure Island.  When his friends left, he sighed and said "well, I didn't deserve any of this - I've been so spoiled!"

 It's been such a lovely day and his birthday celebrations will continue - a fun day with Dada home tomorrow, time with his friend E on Saturday and a family party on Sunday!  Being 9 is very special and well worth celebrating...

We pray, on her feast day, that Our Lady of Guadalupe will continue to bless and protect this child with her love and prayers as she always has, and we ask may God be as good to him as he was to Juan Diego.