Oh, how well do I remember the above picture taken a mere nine years ago. I really wanted to post a retrospective of all ten years of Alex’s Milestone pictures but I thought I’d spare him the embarrassment. However, as he walked by my PC screen a few hours ago, he noted with some grave disappointment, “Where are the rest of my pictures?” Yeah, just when you think you know your First Born well…they surprise you.

Well, the little smiling, blonde bald boy in khakis has turned into –

The big, smiling, blonde kid in khakis. How did a decade go by so quickly? Please don’t answer that, it was purely a rhetorical question. For the record, the above official school photo was taken only a few weeks ago. And I’m still amazed at how grown up he suddenly looks.

On his actual birthday, though, he looked more like this –

After serving as Altar Boy for Holy Saturday’s morning service, he was off to his soccer game. And much later in the afternoon, I let him get his wish to “play in the street” and we chose a well traveled highway. I’m kidding, of course. But, note how happy he was at that mere thought.

No, the picture was taken at the locale of his Birthday Dinner, BJ’s Restaurant and Brewery. Uncle Rick was in town working through his Navy Reserve obligations and he managed to get away just in time to join us in the Official Double Digit Celebration. Thanks Uncle Rick, somehow, you always manage to be there to surprise us!

Please note in the picture below, how generous Alex was with the famous BJ’s Pizookie dessert. I mean he readily shared it with his sisters. And didn’t complain at all. Well, he waited about twenty four hours and then launched into a small tirade about only get two bites because the girls “hogged the rest”. Ah, at least he’s beginning to understand the delicate balance of equality standards between men and women early in his life.

For those of you who are worried, please stop. He will have an Official Sleepover Blowout this coming Saturday. With his buddies, decorations, pizza, snacks, cake, ice cream all cloaked in the theme of his choice – Harry Potter. No, no, I didn’t influence him one tiny, itsy bitsy bit. Not at all. *winks*

Wishing you a Double Digit Moment. Think back to when you turned ten. And do something you wanted to do then, but didn’t. Hurry, not much time left.