Davis is 11

Davis celebrated his 11th birthday last Saturday.
We decorated the living room with balloons and streamers.
Samuel woke up before D and made him breakfast. Then he hid behind the couch ready to shout happy birthday when Davis appeared. He loves holidays and his brother so much.

Davis was thrilled, of course. We had breakfast and he opened a few presents before heading off to school.

I picked up fruit kolaches at lunchtime and took them to the school. I sat with Davis at lunch and then we went to his classroom to handout kolaches. The kids all sang happy birthday to him and he was thrilled.

That evening after school, we had family happy hour on the ranch. We went to my parents' house early and decorated. My mom made a bunch of pizzas and I brought a pumpkin pie (Davis's request) and an apple pie and whipped cream. GG and Martha and Clark and Uncle Larry and Aunt Joyce and various caregivers were all there and we celebrated Davis. He opened more presents and we sang happy birthday to him while he blew out eleven candles and made a wish. We had all pitched in on a new computer for Davis as he needs one for his new school and has been asking and asking. He was absolutely beside himself with joy. My mom gave him a book on race cars that he couldn't put down either.

The next night we let him invite a few friends over for a sleepover. I had to go spend the night with my dad, but Michael helped host the boys and Tom and Odille spent the evening helping out. They had pizza and played outside and then watched "The Great Race". They had an after dark lightsaber fight in the back yard and ate homemade red velvet cakes I had whipped up earlier in the afternoon. They all slept in a dog pile in the living room. (Except for Samuel who wisely took his puppy to his own room and slept in his own comfortable bed.)
Davis declared his whole birthday wonderful and I was so glad.

He is such an amazing kid. He is growing up and maturing. He is interesting and fun and thoughtful. I love being with him. He wants to please and works very hard at all he attempts. He is helpful and friendly and doesn't have a shy bone in his body. He knows exactly what he wants to be when he grows up (mechanical engineer) and spends almost all his time thinking mechanical engineering thoughts. He listens to NPR and reads and reads and reads fiction and non fiction alike. He is athletic and strong. He makes us so happy and we are so proud of him and happy to watch him grow.