Jackson's 7th Birthday

3 of my kids were born in May.  

Yeah, don't ask.... or comment.  I've heard them all.  

Jackson's birthday was May 2.  He turned 7.

If I had to sum up Jackson's 6th year of life in one word, the word would be quirky.  The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree... and this time... I'm the tree.

But, right now, that's beside the point....

Sometimes, I don't even know how to talk to him.  The whole crying before EVERY day of school; I mean that's enough right there.  But then there were things like....

1.)  We'd had our old van sitting in our driveway for about 6 years.  It wasn't able to be driven because of squirrels.  (Click here if you haven't read this story.)  So, we were having it hauled away and as it was leaving the driveway he came running into the house crying.  I was like, "What's a matter buddy?"  He said, "I've had that van since I was born!  And, now it's gone!"

  

Wailing!

Seriously, how do you talk to that?

2.)  We were talking about getting new furniture in our living room.  Simply talking about it.  Again... burst into crying.  "You can't get rid of that couch!  Can we put it in the basement?  Can we put it in storage?  I've had that couch since I was born!"

3.)  "You can't take out those bushes!!  They've been here since we moved here!"

4.)  I think the real clincher was tending to a kid who spent 162 out of 180 days of school crying... all so that he could cry on  the last day of school.... because it was over.

I'm just going to start saving my money now for the counseling.  Forget college money.  We need a shrink!

So taking this and a multitude of other incidences that I didn't mention into consideration, I'm not sure why it surprised me when I asked Jackson who he wanted to invite to his birthday party, he would say,  "I don't want a birthday party."

"You don't want a birthday party?"

"NO."

"Not even with just a few friends like Andrew and Drew?  We could go to Chucky Cheese?"

"No."

Ok.

So, the night before his birthday he said, "Can we go to Chucky Cheese tomorrow for my birthday?"

"Sure buddy!  Do you want me to call and see if Andrew can come?"

"No.  Can I invite Mr. Jim and Miss Kris and Janae's family?"

For real?

I get wanting to invite Janae's family.  We spend a lot of time with them... they have two girls and no boy...but I totally get why he would want them.

Kris helps with our ministry and her husband is the OBGYN who put stitched up his eye on Christmas Eve. (Click here for that story.)  They have an 18 year old son and a 14 year old daughter.

Ok... so...

Let me just recap this for you... my almost 7 year old son wanted to invite my friend and an OBGYN and his wife to his birthday party at Chucky Cheese.

Would you know how to deal with him?

Kris and Jim couldn't come (Big surprise).  Jackson celebrated his 7th birthday with his family, Sue (our exchange student from South Korea) and Janae, Michael, and their sweet girls.  

When it's your birthday, you can do what you want... I suppose.

I wish someone could explain to me the peace/V sign from the Asian culture.  I just don't get it!

WOW!  Now that's a face!

I'm not sure what was going on with the icing at this party.

I'm gonna go with Janae was copying off Emme and not visa versa.

Happy 7th Birthday Buddy!  Quirks and all I think you are about the coolest boy ever!  You wear me out but you are a blast to watch!  I can't believe I get to be your mom!