Happy Birthday to Iain!

Iain turned ten on March 21st, and we celebrated with his request—a  hotdog & rootbeer lunch with Oreo ice cream cake. 

He got some fun presents:  Hobbit themed Legos, and two Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction books that show how to make cool creations out of paper and other miscellaneous home supplies. 

Plus, he scored some cashola from Grandpa Willard (Glen's dad) and Grandma Shriver. (I believe "boo-yah!" is the phrase he uttered, popularized by Uncle Si on the TV show, Duck Dynasty.)

Iain picked out his candles, too. In case that isn't obvious...

I can't believe my baby boy is now two digits—10 years old!—and it happened right under my nose. It seems like just yesterday we were crowning him our little "budda wudda," with everyone enjoying the first boy grandchild in the family in quite some time.

Grandpa Shriver holding Iain

Iain has grown so much this past year, becoming bigger and much stronger through the exercise of wrestling competition. He loves all things boy—wrestling, Legos, guns and bows, hunting, and exploring in the woods. He's almost as tall as me, and almost wears my shoe size! I think it's official that he'll be a tall man.

It's so sad that we moms tend to wish away the stress of potty training and lack of independence, not realizing how much that time draws the hearts of our children near to us. When they get older, that stage brings its own set of challenges, but without their desire to sit on your lap all the time or have books read to them constantly. Their independence causes a space that is hard to allow, so the new challenge for us becomes not to coddle or indulge them to get our "lovin' fix."

Parenting is not for wimps, that's for sure!