Amahl For This! Happy Birthday Reuben!

Today is my oldest son Reuben's 14th birthday.  Which means that my 35th birthday is just around the bend.  I brought Reuben home from the hospital the day I turned 21.  That was a hard day.  My sweet hubby left me home alone with a new baby and spent hours shopping to buy me presents . I think he had a great time.  I was miserable. It was night time. I was in pain. I didn't know what I was doing.  And I was alone with a brand new baby in a small dark basement apartment.  That sounds kind of appealing now- the being alone with just one little baby part. :)  But, joking aside, Reuben is really starting to grow up, inside and out. We've come a long way from that day 14 years ago.

Reuben came into the world after just 3 hours and 33 minutes of labor- at 3:33 a.m. on Ocober 5th, 1998.  He was small- 6 lbs. 12 ounces and 19 inches long, with chubby cheeks and an elf bump on his ear.  He had these incredibly alert eyes that stared right into our souls.

Reuben was a nursing fiend.  He nursed for 12 hours every day with one hour breaks in between.

By age 6 months Reuben was an ice cream eating pro. The next month Grandma Kristie fed him french fries along with ice cream at the Cougar Eat while I was in class at BYU.

At 8 1/2 months Reuben decided to walk.  He never crawled.  I guess the commercial carpet was too scratchy.

At 10 months Reuben walked with Mommy and Daddy when we both graduated.  He was adorable in his little cap and gown.

Around 16 months he started to sing and NEVER STOPPED.

At 20 months Reuben opened the fridge and told us he wanted some 7 "U" ""P"

We knew we were in trouble then.

At 2 he woke up one morning and said, "These are my demands.  I want a donut, carrots, and some chocolate milk!"

At 2 1/2 Reuben stood on the bench and gave birth to his stuffed duck in the middle of sacrament meeting, pulling it out from between his legs and yelling, "I birthed Ducky!"

Reuben became a big brother at age two and has graciously welcomed a total of 5 siblings into the world.  He is the best big brother!

It has been so fun to watch Reuben grow and see him develop his talents.  And he is soooo talented!

Reuben plays the trumpet in the concert band and the jazz band at school.  He also recently auditioned for and joined the Granite Junior Youth Symphony.

He has been a member of the Janeen Brady Children's Choir for two years ( by force)

He has been taking voice lessons since he was 11. ( by force, but he has stopped complaining)

Reuben recently auditioned for an operetta  and was cast as the lead in "Amahl and the Night Visitors". He may not be thrilled about still being a soprano, but he has the most beautiful voice.  I wish I could sing like
that!

Tomorrow he will sing in a choir for General Conference.  He's so lucky!

He missed a 4.0 by one A- last year. Drat!  But, more importantly, he always does his homework without being told.

He is best friends with his brother Tim.

Reuben is a few merit badges away from being ready for his Eagle Project and finished his Duty to God requirements for a Deacon- with plenty of time to spare LAST NIGHT!

He has faithfully served as the Deacon's Quorum President for about 6 months.

Reuben is hoping to outgrow a lot of clothes this year and surpass me in height. He is currently about 1 inch shorter than me.  It's wonderful and a little sad to see my first baby about to overtake me vertically.  Before I know it, he'll be driving.  And dating.  5 years might seem like a long time now, but that mission call is really just around the bend.  My little boy is getting so big, but not too big to accidentally call me Mommy now and again when no one else is listening.  Not too big to hug me goodnight.  Not too big to chase his little sister around the house and swing her through the air. Happy Birthday Reuben.  I love you!  And I hope you will forgive me for putting this into cyberspace.