HAPPY BIRTHDAY STRATTON!

Tomorrow (Monday) is my great nephew's birthday. Stratton will officially be 9. It really doesn't seem like it's been nine years since we were waiting around on that big boy to be born! (His mom can tell you the story about his weight mysteriously going up reallllly fast....we believe he was mis-weighed at birth!)

Jennifer may not agree, but I believe he has been her "prettiest" newborn. He had a perfect complexion, and was just gorgeous. He spent his first Christmas in my arms at Mike's moms house, and was knocking out 8 oz bottles at only 10 days old. My little buddy had quite the appetite. He's always been "my buddy." (Trenton is my wild man, Kennedie is the princess, and Kadence is Kadie bug.) I was aware that Stratton was on the way for a couple months before the rest of the family. Boy that was one hard secret to keep!! His mom and I were yard sale queens and loaded up on tons of baby stuff all the time. I don't think we bought our kids any new clothes for their first two years or so! (Well, ok, we bought some, but we got a lot of deals at rummage sales!!)

This year, my quiet buddy had really branched out, and I am so proud of him. He's painfully shy, and it was a big step for him to play not only baseball, but football. He did really well.

He's a great reader now, and loves Star Wars stuff with a passion. He is worshipped by his little sister Kennedie, and tormented constantly by his brother Trenton. It's been great to see him grow up so far, and I am ready for the next 9 years! J will be 9 in January, so they will always be in the same grade. I expect they will be close, like my cousin Jason and I were. Jason and I had a really good bond, and a solid friendship that meant a lot to me. I can see these two doing the same thing.

So happy birthday, William Stratton, Aunt Shelley loves you!!!