Today is my son, D's birthday. It was today, at about 2:51 a.m. that he was born at Naval Hospital Bremerton, Washington. Literally, kicking and screaming as he entered the world, This Man was so overwhelmed that once the nurses finally revived me (I'd fainted right as he came into the world), I couldn't believe that the little man was here.
So 9 years later, here we are! He's away in Texas for his summer vacation, but he did get his birthday gifts and I spoke with him yesterday and I'll definitely be calling him again today. But while I'm thinking about his birthday and D period, I can't help but marvel at some of the things that he does or some of the things that he says. Sure, This Man has blogged a few times about how frustrating he can make me or how D and I just can't quite get on the same wavelength, but I guess that's what makes him so interesting. He's his own Man and he really likes to make it known. Here's a couple of tidbits that I can't help but laugh at about my son.

• His love for all things spicy! From the time he was able to eat solid foods, D established a love for Mexican food, jalepenos and anything spicy (including those Flamin' Hot Cheetos). There are times when I just look at him in amazment because This Man doesn't have the cajones to eat some of the things that he does.
  
• He'll never admit when he's afraid. He won't say he's afraid, but he shows it in small ways that This Man has to pick up on. On our recent flight to Texas, rather than tell me that he was afraid during the takeoff and landing of the airplane, D and I linked our arms together--just to calm his nerves. I didn't have to mention it and neither did he, but the look of relief in his eyes said ' Thank you, Dad'.
  
• He's still amazed when he see baby pictures or videos of him as a baby. If D ever needs to be calmed down or This Man needs to get D to just relax, I break out the baby video and put it on the big screen TV. He freezes, drops what he's doing and watches in amazement.
• His secret love of Brittany Spears. He hasn't mentioned her lately, but before This Man would say anything about her, just seeing her on TV on in a magazine would make him blush.

I could go on and on about my son, but I won't because I think just posting some pictures of him as a newborn and my favorite photo of him in his baby swing when he was a few months old, asleep are more than enough to embarass him until his next birthday.

So without going on and on, This Man has to say in big letters,