Happy Birthday, Houston!

Today is my nephew's 7th birthday. I can't believe it! I still remember the day he was born. You must read on to the end and I will give you all the juicy details . . . Anyways, he is the sweetest, smartest little boy with the fiercest competitive streak. He is a super reader and student and LOVES all things sports. Can you believe that he wakes up, goes downstairs before anyone else is up and turns on ESPN? He LOVES sports I tell ya! I will never know 1/8 of the sports info he knows in my lifetime that he already knows! Houston is a sweet big brother to Hunter and so patient with Lawton. I know that Houston will grow up to be something great, because he already is so smart and kind and he has the greatest parents! (And I am his favorite aunt! Ummm. . . okay. Maybe his only aunt! :)
He had a Star Wars party (again, my knowledge on Star Wars is pretty slim) and Emily MADE this amazing cake! Didn't she do great? FYI - She makes them and sells them if you need a super-duper cake for your next occasion!! Didn't you always want Darth Vader's head on a platter? :) If you want to see Houston's cake last year, click here.

Funny story: If you'll notice in the above picture, Lawton was so excited and standing right beside Houston during the blow-out-the-candles time. Well, the first time that Houston blew out the candles, he did it so fast that no one was able to get "the picture". So, Emily lit them the second time, and we were saying, okay, now blow out the candles, and of course, we were SO talking to my little egocentric Lawton (in his mind). Lawton got so caught up in the moment and as soon as the last candle was lit, he puckered up and blew out all seven candles quick as a wink! I was so shocked and said "LAWTON!" and he immediately realized what he did, put his hand up to his mouth and his eyes got as big as quarters. Bless Houston's heart, he didn't get too upset and just blew out the "official" candles the third time. And then all the adults just laughed. and laughed. and laughed. We watched it replay on video and laughed some more. The moment was even captured on Emily's camera. The next day, we had his family birthday party and on the way there Lawton said "I'm not going to blow out Houston's candles this time!" ;)
Here is Lawton shooting at some Star Wars men and Darth Vader. All the boys got a turn and Lawton (three or so years younger than all of them) hung right in there with them. Thanks, Houston for letting your little cousin hang with you. He loves you and looks up to you SO much.

Carolina got to enjoy Star Wars stuff too with Papa J.

I think Lawton might have been irritating Houston in this picture. . . He might have been playing with dirt (which I am secretly glad about because he used to not like getting dirty, and still sometimes doesn't. It really is surprising though, because he is all boy.) and getting it on Houston.
Here is Lawton fighting Uncle Brent, I mean Darth Vader. All the boys got a turn and LOVED it. Emily made light sabers (sp?) (I don't know about Star Wars, okay?) out of PVC pipe covered in noodles with a bicycle handle on the end. It was their party favor - isn't she clever?
And here is Brent letting Lawton whack him on the head . . . kids, don't try this at home.

So, to the night before Houston was born . . . Emily was due to be induced on Monday, October 8, 2001- TEN days late. Since she was being induced, I had planned to take the day off because I was not going to miss my first nephew being born. So, the night before, I started getting butterflies in my stomach because I was so excited. And then about 10:00 or 11:00 on Sunday night, I got sick. And then about 15- 30 minutes later, I got sick again. And then again, and again. and again. and again. Need I go on? About 4:00 in the morning, I couldn't even sit up I was so weak. I thought I was going to DIE. I told Chad that I needed Sprite or even maybe go to the hospital. It was that bad. So, he called his Mom and Dad (who probably thought it was Brent and Emily going into labor on her own, but no it was me, puking my brains out. . .) and he went over to their house and got Sprite and some, um, medicine. That medicine was my only saving grace, and now looking back, I should have gone to the hospital.

Little did I know, but my mom was heading to the hospital about that same time. And so were about 15 or so others. And 100 or so people (at least) were also hugging their toilets at the same time. Yep, you guessed it! FOOD POISONING. You know what the culprit was after talking around? Deviled eggs. You see, the night before, we attended a wedding of a girl I grew up with. And I will ALWAYS remember her anniversary. Argghhh. Luckily, my dad or Chad did not attend, so they were able to attend to me and my mom. And guess what? The bride's mother was a first grade teacher- whose co-teachers had all attended the wedding. Their school was strug-a-lin' for subs the next day!

So, sadly, I missed the birth of Houston, and was still too weak to go the next day to the hospital. I was barely strong enough to go see him on Wednesday, and look terrible in the pictures. It took me several years to eat another deviled egg again.

Last funny note today: We were playing this morning and Lawton was doing a linking number puzzle. Being the "teacher" he asked me what the number 1 piece was. Having some fun and trying to introduce a little Spanish, I replied "uno". Lawton looked at me frustratedly (?) and said, "No. YOU tell me!" (Get it? uno - you know.) I laughed anyways.