Happy Birthday, Dominic!

One year ago today, we spent the day on airplanes or waiting for airplanes.  We were returning from our trip to England and that was the beginning of Dom's 11th Year.  Today he turns 11 and while we wait to see if an owl arrives, I'll take a walk down memory lane of all he has accomplished since his first international trip. Just like I've been doing since he turned 5.  Remember when that seemed too old? 

Speaking of 5, Dom competed in his first 5K in Edmond, OK on Thanksgiving.  He did great by my standards.  Particularly as he didn't train.  I know it was sub-30 minutes...I think 28 something.  He is currently working on his sprinting for a Boy Scout badge.  Crazy kid nearly always has a smile on his face while running.

Speaking of smiles, he loves Jack Stacks Barbecue Ribs.  Ok, he loves most ribs.  He eats quite a bit more than he did when he was 6.  I can't count on leftovers quite like I use to. 

Speaking of leftovers...he probably could use them for all of the sports he does.  Currently, he is playing soccer with Will.  Last weekend, he scored two penalty kicks and gave his team a victory in the sudden death round.  Did we record this in anyway?  Nope.  I was too nervous.  But, his smile was so bright and the joy with which his team cheered for him made me so proud.  Stuff that dreams are made of!

Speaking of dreams, when he isn't dreaming about playing a sport, he is generally reading.  Surprisingly...not necessarily about sports.  Though ESPN does get quite a bit of traffic on the computer from our address.  He still prefers Harry Potter to just about all other books, but will read non-fiction history when it is available and drop trivia nuggets from time to time.  He and Will are currently 'racing' each other to finish The Lord of the Rings series.  Though, I think Will is pretty far ahead as Dom continuously finds other things to read.  He is my son, afterall.

Speaking of magical places, Dom and the rest of us visited Disney World.  He loved it, just like the rest of us.  Though, he did not ride the 7 Dwarves roller coaster.  Which means, he really wants to go back.  Just like the rest of us.

Though, it is soccer season for the next couple of weeks, Dom is following the World Series play-offs very closely.  He even broke out his glove and had Will playing catch with him in the yard.  And he generally has at least a couple other willing players, too.

Speaking of willing players, he continues to follow college basketball closer than anyone I know.  Maybe this year, KU will finally make it past the Elite 8!  And don't worry, he has already scouted out the perfect place to put the brackets in our new house: Up the stairs to the boys' bedroom!

Speaking of boys, we took a road trip to visit our family in Kansas and to see Peter make his First Communion.  Such a jovial group of young men!

Speaking of jovial, Dom worked on his pitching.  Again.  Though he loves many sports and plays with enthusiasm in all of them...I think he may be leaning towards baseball and its team of 9..though, that could just be the World Series influence.  Come NCAA Tournament, he'll be shooting hoops like every year previously.

Speaking of what he chooses to do in his spare time,  he also volunteered as an altar server and sang in the choir.  He was very nervous at first, but came to enjoy both church activities and has continued to serve at our new church in Montgomery.  (and thus ends my 'speaking of' seques...It's after 10, and I'm tired)

Dom had a great baseball season.  I was so proud of him and how hard he worked to get better as the season progressed.  He got to the point that they could count on him for a hit or two in every game.  And he played catcher with a lot more energy than one would expect considering how much padding he was wearing.

April was pretty eventful for the family, and May was no different.  We visited Legoland to check out the new Ninjago exhibit.  I wish I could say it was amazing...but, we all preferred other parts of the park more.  Dom's favorite was the boat school.  He got to drive an actual boat!

We also spent a lovely weekend in Destin with Grandma, Grandpa, and Mitzi.  It was just what we needed before a pretty hectic summer.

Dom ran in another race on Memorial Day Weekend.  Again, he did much better than I would have.  It helped this year that he was not coming off a devastating stomach bug.

Later that week, we loaded up again and headed back to Kansas for Dom to attend basketball camp.  After years of taking a couple of days to make the drive, we elected to do it all in one go.  About 5 hours out, we discovered a great rest area: Mammoth Springs.  Dom was particularly enthusiastic about this stop and has declared we always need to stop there.  If you ever have a 17 hour drive that takes you through this particular junction...you will not regret an hour or so sojourn. 

Dom absolutely loved going to basketball camp.  I was nervous for him, but he made some friends, got to high five some basketball players, and, most importantly, eat ice cream at every meal.  I think we may have heard more about the situation with the ice cream machine than about the games he played.  A bonus, we got to see grandparents and cousins and aunt and uncle again.  It was a great trip!

Upon our return (which obviously included a stop in Mammoth Springs), it was time for a new sport: swimming!  Dom was not thrilled (have you ever swam laps?  It is really, really, really hard), but he loved the swim meets.  And he worked every day to get a little better.  Truth be told, he probably should have eaten more ice cream at basketball camp.  His lack of fat makes it hard to stay above water. 

When he wasn't swimming, he was racing his neighbors on bikes.  The Tour de France, baby!!  (So, for those keeping track, he has played soccer, basketball, baseball, participated in swim team and a couple of races, ran some races, and organized bike races...yeah, he is pretty active)

When he isn't doing all that sports stuff, he really does enjoy learning.  For example, he recently learned how to make macaroni and cheese.  He is very proud of this.  I am too as when I'm feeling particularly lazy around lunch time...he can get a nice lunch for his siblings with very little input from me.

His schoolwork is going really well.  Last year, we had some anxiety issues over math (I know...).  But, this year, he pushes through and rarely tells me he 'can't'...actually, I don't think he has said that once this year.

As we continue to push him a little out of his comfort zone, as well as explore areas his siblings are more interested in, we enrolled him in an art class.  His first major work was a swan that utilized a lot of shading.  I thought it was great!  He and I regularly provide the comic relief in our family pictionary/telestration games.  Now, I fear, I will be holding up that role alone...nah, John is almost ready to participate.  I still have a few years left with a sidekick!

As we prepared to move, I was the most concerned about Dominic.  He had the most friends he would be saying good-bye to.  He would have the most memories of our time in Florida.  And, it has been rough some days.  But, we made a concerted effort to get the kids involved in things quickly here in Alabama.  One of those was a local Boy Scout Pack, which he and Will love.  They were so eager to have me sew on their patches...which I attempted once.  It took an hour.  Dom was very sweet every day as he would ask me to sew on a patch.  I knew he deserved to have them done in a timely fashion...so I have hired them out.  The ladies are fantastic!  And it is done in less than 24 hours! One of the best decisions I have ever made.

 

Along with the various groups the boys and Molly have joined, Dom is becoming quite the conversationalist on the phone.  Feel free to call and ask him about his day.  He will tell you everything.  Everything. 

Absolutely one of the best things to come from our move is how much Dom and Will have become closer friends.  The three boys share a room at the top of the stairs, and it really feels like a dorm room.  Like at Hogwarts.  Maybe he already got the letter and we are just all under a memory charm.  Maybe our house is Hogwarts!!  And I'm McGonagall!!

Happy Birthday to our sweet, wonderful, clever, procrastinating, goofy, responsible, handsome, and kind son!  As I typed that, I realized there are so many things I actually left out of this post.  Ok, two off the top of my head: He is learning the recorder and picking up on sarcasm much more frequently (you're welcome!). 

We are incredibly proud of you and love to hear people sing your praises (but don't get a big head...they aren't actually singing).  I know your heart is always in the right place and you constantly seek to do the right thing.  I can't ask for more than that...though, I will.  Like, um, could you maybe clean your bathroom without being asked?  Or empty the dishwasher without being asked?  That would be great!

I also know you are hanging on to childhood as long as possible and I love you for that.  Not the immaturity part of childhood, but that wonderful joy that you have for the hobbies and topics that interest you.  I'll tell you a secret, you can hold on to that forever no matter how old you get.  Just look at all four of your grandparents ;).  You come for many lines of youthful hearts.  Your enthusiasm is infectious and I've seen others get drawn in with you.  That never has to change.  And I'll always be looking for a hug from you.  Or I will find you first.  You will never grow too old for my hugs.

We love you, Dominic Joseph.  Our world changed for the better when you entered it and we will always Thank God that we get to tell people: That is our son!  Now, let's go get some Arby's!