**This is Chas at 3 months, but Chas turned 12 on Wednesday.**
It's hard to have a birthday during the school year. Starks has only been in school once on his birthday, which was the LAST day of school and therefore an awesome celebration! Anthony will never be in school during his birthday December 30th. Chas, however, kind of gets the shaft. Granted, he is the most social and enjoys being with friends, but it's just not as easy to make the day about him. We tried, though!
**This is Chas at 9 months with a bear my Momma gave him while living in Houston.
He had this awesome, orangish hair with those cheeks and big, blue eyes... SO cute!**
He woke up happy on his birthday and ready to have a great day at school. A bonus was Wednesday is his day with no P.E. and an early dismissal. ;) I picked him up with 4 of his friends and headed to lunch. They quickly ate some Subway and wanted dropped off at the park where they met more friends. He got a nice time with his buddies before his usual drum lessons. He LOVES drum lessons, and she was so generous in buying his a new stick bag, a couple of pairs of sticks, and putty. He was thrilled! We left there to get Starks from gymnastics, quickly did homework at home, opened gifts, and went to dinner just before 7pm. :( I emailed Starks' teacher to let her know we were missing Back to School night for the first time as parents to make sure our son's birthday dinner wasn't rushed and somewhere like Wendy's. ;) Dinner was nice, and Chas was happy.
(See above grin that's been perfected over 12 years.)
**Chas is a year old here, and his birthday party was a "Farm" theme. It was awesome, actually, and a ton of fun! Living in PA, a hurricane had come through that Thursday night/Friday, and we'd been without power since the middle of the night. Russ went away to school Friday morning when I came home from work, and as the weekend progressed without any power restored, I realized his party needed to be cancelled. However, as we drove down the driveway after church on Sunday morning, we saw our lights on!! (Anthony said, "The TICITY'S on!!") We called everyone again to say the party was on. Russ moved the huge treetop that had broken off and fallen in the middle of our driveway- along with other debris- to make sure it was safe. I got to baking and cooking. It was SUCH a fun day, and Chas was adorable- wearing similar overalls, straw hat, and boots toddling around.**
So, he's having his school friends over tonight to celebrate appropriately with a sleepover. I think there will be 6 or 7 boys staying the night. I'm to pick them up from school and drive them to the park where they'll play until dinner. They'll come back all smelling like the woods and hopefully hungry. It's pizza night, so that's dinner. However, Chas requested Chocolate Cheesecake for dessert, so I'm going to make that while he's at the park. :) These boys are easy!
**Chas at 2... more plaid. LOL. LOOK at him, though! Those blue eyes, that grin, those cheeks, that hair still orangish, chubby hands that were squishy soft in mine, and so relaxed. I can almost reach into this screen, pick him up under his arms with one hand and forearm, and sling him up onto my hip to carry him! I love the way kids feel on my hip with my arm under their booty. It was tiring then, but I loved it. Now, I miss it. I'd love to just pick them up and carry them off!**
I'm anticipating a very late bedtime, little sleep, and Chas trying his HARDEST to keep it together tomorrow. He doesn't have much reserve without enough sleep, but since he's aware of that, he tries SO hard to not make it true. ;) It doesn't matter though; it's all worth it to have that time and those memories with his friends! I'm going to love the activity, the smells, the laughter, and the conversation tonight. I like hearing them talk. It doesn't seem like that long ago sometimes in my head when I reminisce on my own memories from those years in school. The excitement I always had then about life even creeps into my belly now just thinking about it.
**Chas is 3 here... maybe close to 4. Today, you can still find him with his arm around Starks... either in a loving hug or around his neck! ;) Last night, Chas could not stop reading "The Scorch Trials" in his room, so Starks and I went into Starks' room to lie down. When Chas did finish reading and was ready for bed, he asked if I could move Starks back into his room. I scooped Starks up and carried him to Chas' room. Chas has bunk beds. Starks used to sleep on the bottom bunk, but he's been sleeping with Chas in the top bunk for a while now. They both love it. How sweet is that?!**
This week, we had Back to School night at the middle school. We met Chas' teachers, and we understood why he liked so many of them. Last year in 6th grade, Chas had a ridiculous amount of homework. It was unnecessary. This year, his teachers are more laid back in that area. They aren't as strict in general and are starting to give their 7th graders more wiggle room, responsibility, and respect. It's nice. There's only one thing he hates about school, and that's running- especially 20" run day. However, he loves his advanced classes- Algebra 1 and English- as the kids are usually more behaved. Chas is eager to be more responsible about managing his life and school. I am praying he does! I just want him to feel that pride that comes with successfully crushing a goal.
Chas is my biggest fan. He's SO encouraging and supportive. He loves spending time with me, holds my hand while I drive, and talks to me. I am so blessed he's my son, and I am loving the young man he's growing up to be. He's a great friend, a charmer, charismatic, thoughtful, and just fun to be around. Chas wanted me from the time he was born, and that made me feel incredible. I am so thankful for all of those nights he slept on my chest with my arms wrapped around him- and pillows on each side so he didn't fall off. SIX months we slept like that. When he moved to his crib, it was his choice, but I missed him! However, I still get the love!
I know this post is about Chas, but I have to include this picture of Starks. He's a year old, and he's shirtless. He's 9 now, and he loves to still be shirtless. This pictures sums him up. ...shoeless, little clothes, and looking shipwrecked. You have NO idea how much those lips of his were sucked on! One couldn't hold back... they called to you.
