Double Digits

He turned 10 today. T-E-N! My Zach.

After he blew out his birthday candles he said, "Wow, it's been a long time since I had a birthday." 

Yes Zach, 356 long days ago.  :) 

But those days flew by for me and he is growing too fast...too fast.

It was ten years ago (seems like yesterday) I went into labor on Labor Day--three and a half weeks before his due date. My doctor assured me over the phone that I was not going into labor (this being my first baby, I certainly didn't know what I was experiencing, he assumed).  So I sat at my brother's house with all of the Labor Day BBQ guests, trying to get comfortable, in disbelief that I would have to feel this way for the next month. 

After the third call to my doctor during the wee hours of the night, he finally authorized a trip to the hospital for some drugs to help me sleep. The nurse examined me in a side room and quickly confirmed that I was dilated to 4cm and I, indeed, would be having a baby soon. (Get this girl into a room, call the doctor, and call in the preemie team.) I had not yet quit work, taken a birthing class, or even set up a nursery. Totally unprepared, I was. 

He was born during a freak lightening storm, totally healthy, ready for life. (To this day he still wakes up from a sleep bright eyed and cheery.) And that night I lay in my hospital bed crying while I watched fork lightening break out side my window. My husband was fast asleep in a roll out bed on one side of me, my son in his rolling hospital bassinet on the other side. I was completely awash with emotion.

Ten years later I am awash with emotion still...at the amazing kid I have. His love for life, his curious, smart, clever, and creative brain, his sense of humor, his sensitive heart, his love for his family...

I asked him what he wanted for his birthday breakfast: Cocoa Pebbles (a birthday treat--to pick out a sugared cereal)

I asked him what he wanted for his birthday dinner: left over spaghetti (bc it's better on the second day) and salad with a lot of ranch dressing.

I asked him what he wanted for dessert: berry cobbler (bc it's waaaaaay better than cake)

Is not he just the coolest kid? I love him so much.

Happy Birthday Zach!

For documentation sakes:

His two favorite gifts:

A brand new bike from Omi (no more riding his sister's purple Hannah Montana bike because his own bike was stolen months ago).

From us...an iPod Shuffle and iTunes gift card. All day he has been down loading tunes from Boston, Journey, The Scorpions, Guns and Roses, AC/DC, The Police, Aerosmith. (Thanks to Rock Band and Guitar Hero and his 80's rocker Dad.)