happy birthday, buddy!

Oh, Buddy. I started clicking on files looking for a few pictures of you, in celebration of your ninth birthday.

I found pictures, dozens of them, and you are so doggone cute and so incredibly and dearly loved.

Look at all the hair you had when you were born, and looky how tiny Auntie Julia was.

This picture?  We picked Little Jay up from school--he was a ninth grader, and I asked him to PLEASE come with me to the mall for a Santa picture.  He's always been patient and accommodating. He didn't even object, just rolled his eyes.  You were too scared to sit on Santa, but I love this picture of all of us.

 Look at this one, taken by Dori, our sweet neighbor at the lake:

 And the day you were born was so crazy. The whole family stepped from one generation into the next.  A whole herd of people became aunts and uncles and grandparents and great-grandparents, and yeah.  Because of you.

Oh Lordy, Mister.  I want to kiss those cheeks.

This is a First Day of School Picture.  Yeah, you.  You were there. You were in it.

This is you and my own grandma.  The two of you had that very special opportunity to be in great-great-grandparent-land.  That doesn't happen very often.

Plus a couple people I've loved so much?  I am glad you had the chance to enjoy each other.

Our sweet Buddy, beautiful child?

Thanks for being ours.  The family was transformed by your arrival and we're all lucky for you.

Happy Birthday, with love forever, Grandma, Grandpa, and Everybody