happy NINE years!!

and today we celebrate NINE years of Kaden's life.

whew.

i remember his birth too.

he was born at Women's and Babies Hospital.

I remember the peanut butter pie afterwards. :)

I remember the nurses thinking i was CRAZY when i didn't want an epidural.

or pain medicine.

I remember my in-laws waiting in the waiting room at 5:30 a.m.

kaden was born at 1:34 p.m. or something.

that makes for a long wait. :)

let's just say my labor with him was a bit longer than the 2 and 4 hours

i experienced with all my girls.

(i have a few ideas about why that happened, hence never went back to that hospital :))

i was re-arranging furniture in the room a few hours after i was settled in.

 i wanted it to be just right. :)

oh kaden. i can't believe you are 9 already.

i am finding you are heftier than me these days...

i need to find new disciplinarian ideas for you. :)

you are a very protective big brother, most of the time.

you are sweet with your sisters, except when you punch them in their eyes. :)

especially with karolina.

i walked in the room the other day,

and you were holding karolina, and said, "oh, karolina, i love you so much."

that makes a mother's heart warm.

you love sports. you don't like running so much.

you perservere.

i am proud of your reading...and math too, but that comes much easier for you.

i pray that you continue to make good choices.

i pray for christian friends for you to spend your time with.

 i pray for you to thrive in school and make a difference wherever you are.

i love your smile. and i love you. ~mommy.