Nate Turns 11

Having a birthday during Christmas break can be difficult. You don't get to bring treats into your class on your birthday or get an out of uniform day. Nate, for the last two years, has wanted to have snow on his birthday. We live in Indiana, so the likelihood of that is minimal. I think there were some snow flurries the night before his birthday, but that's as close as he got.

We opened up presents on his birthday. Below are a few of the pics I took.

Happy birthday boy!

COOL! A Lego shuttle!

Presents and paper,
 Must be a good day.

More Legos!

He did invite two friends to spend the night on the 7th of January. He wanted to have one of his friends that is a girl sleepover and had a hard time with why we wouldn't allow that, even if she slept in another room. The boys slept in the living room, were up way too late and then I made crepes for them in the morning. Surprisingly, they didn't eat as much as I thought they would.

By 11:30 we headed out the door to Indy Island, and indoor pool with slides, where they would play for about two hours. That is where Nate's friend Hannah joined us. They all seemed to have a good time and I enjoyed some time in the water.

We were home by 2:30, had some quick cake and ice cream and then adults started showing up to take kids home. When all was said and done,

Nate was exhausted.

The three younger ones were on each other from the rest of the day. Nate said he didn't have any fun because Graigry took over everything at the pool and then Graigry talked about how Nate ruined his time with Robert during Graigry's birthday and then....I was done.

New birthday rule of 2017 - ONE family birthday party in the summer, and THAT IS IT! I had been trying to let the kids do what they want with a few of their friends over the last two years and there has always been complaining afterwards, or comparing to a siblings' festivities, and so I told the kids, I wasn't going to try to let them have their own special event. We can pick one day in July, when we don't have any birthdays, they can invite two friends over and we'll have a cookout, maybe try to get the pool up, and that will be it as far as coordinating birthday and friends. if they can't be happy for each other and grateful for what they have received, it's not worth the stress, money and time.

The three younger ones protested, of course, but Xela and Ro were all for it. I told them if they could prove throughout the year that their attitudes had changed, maybe I would change the policy, but for the time being, we'll have one invite-your-friends birthday party, celebrating the kids together. Other than that, on your birthday, you can open family presents, have a special dinner and dessert.