Ah Birthdays....

Ben's First Birthday cake....

Just the cutest baby boy....ever

Ben's second birthday cake...

My son and birthdays have not always gotten along....I have told the story before of how he stood up at his fourth or fifth birthday party and told everyone to get out because the party was over. No one can say they haven't felt this way before, here you are with a stack of awesome new toys and all the people keep hanging around...not letting you play with them! Ugh! So my son stopped having birthday parties....after the surgery he just wasn't up to having hoards of people over to yell at him, (how he felt) and break his toys....So we did other things, went to science museums, had dinner out with friends, celebrated quietly. Last year even though his sister was very very sick she crawled off the couch to throw her brother a surprise party with his two heroes. (The neighbor boys) It was the best party ever. All centered around my son and his love of Star Trek. I didn't have to do a thing! There was a pod race, (the neighbor boys were forced to push my son around in a box that was decorated like a pod) Good times....good times.

It isn't just his birthday that is a problem....I discovered it would be best to avoid other kids birthday parties after we attended one while he was in kindergarten. He spent almost the whole time on my lap crying. There were awesome games, a slip-n-slide and a general good time. Or how my son saw it, torturous games, and big wet thing that makes you fall down, and really really loud kids....
So I just stopped saying yes to invitations. It didn't really matter, since he stopped getting invited. No one really wants a kid who stands in the middle of the party and cries. Trust me, it is a real downer....

We did have some fun before his medical problems took over his life. This Dino Dig Party was super fun, and the next year was the Camouflage party....I made a tank cake...couldn't find the pictures from this momentous event....perhaps they were taken with a real camera?

This year my son started talking about his birthday party about a month ago. I was shocked to hear he wanted a party. He not only wants a party, he wants people to be involved! Wow.....this is huge. Not just one special friend, but like, lots of kids....
I am use to throwing my daughter incredible birthday parties....I am some what nutters like that, but my son....
hmmmm this will be different.

I will have to invite the whole class, he is happy about that...I will have to plan things, he wants a Mythbuster Party....of course....
I am just still in shock I guess that this is going down. He went to school today, happy and exuberant about his birthday. He couldn't wait to share his gluten free-casein free pumpkin spice doughnuts....SHARE.....
this is new. He was happy....also new...
he was interested in having friends! Yahoo!

So ten years into this life and he has had more than his share of problems, but now I know that what lays ahead will be good.
He has taken such a turn off the path we all thought he would lead. That is pretty true to form for this kid really. He was due on his Dad and Grandma's birthday but came when he wanted to. Now after fighting and struggling with so many challenges he will rise above it all, on his own terms.

He has become more and more like a real kid since we stopped the medication he was on. He is more aware, more patient, more....just more.
He doesn't complain of pain, headaches, stomach aches or of other kids being too loud. He laughs and plays and jumps on the trampoline and has real opinions about things.....I feel like he is re-born. Discovering the world all over again.

I am so grateful that we discovered that he was having reactions to the medications he was on. I do not know if there is permanent damage done. Only time will tell that. I do not know if when all is said and done that he will fall on the spectrum. He has his quirks still. He makes noises and wiggles his fingers in an awkward manner when he is talking....but who cares. I know that from here on out it will just get better for this little man. He will grow and change and become who has wanted to be for all these years.