Happy 12th Birthday Ben!!

So it was 12 years ago on this day that I woke-up at 7am in the morning and thought *OUCH!* I was 5 days over due thanks to my wonderfully amazing smart talented and at times a little scary when you did something wrong Grandma Derkson (boy do I love her). She had come to me on my due date and put her hand on my lovely pregnant tummy and said in that "I mean business" tone that if my kid was smart he would wait until her birthday to be born. Yep thanks Grandma, my kid took that to heart and waited 5 more days. But that was long enough for him, he didn't want to be an afternoon kid so bright and early, 10 minutes after Mike's alarm went off for getting up for work, labour started. He called into work (Moneys Mushroom factory at the time... he would just smell when he came home, but it was good pay and a job), and my Aunt Mary Lyn (we were renting a room from her at that time) drove us into Calgary hoping that I would not have the baby on the way. We get to the hospital and waited for the doctor. Now about an hour into the labour I felt like I should be pushing but nothing was happening. The doctor I had at the time said that was fine even though I felt sure that something was wrong. I was fully dialated but hey what does a young mom know right.. so about an hour later we are trying to deliver and finally the doctor takes a look because she can feel the baby trying to push it's way out but with no results... guess what oung mom not so dumb after all my water had not completely broke and poor baby was pushing against it for over an hour!!! well she poped it and maybe 5 minutes later out came this beautiful purple skined (bruised from the pushing) white blode haired baby. His bum was as big as his head but he was the most precious thing I had ever seen. Poor Mike had to leave the room because he just can't hndle the sight of blood ( he got over that as we had more kids haha). He was wise from the get go, he proved to everyone, especially my Grandma, how smart he is from that very moment on. He is a generous soul who loves to help look after his siblings and he started this very young. When he was just 14 months old and Josh a couple of weeks we were walking to the store and Josh started to cry. Ben leaned forward (they were in the stroller together) and put his finger in Josh's mouth like a soother. You see hardly any of my kids would take soothers so I stole the idea from Prince Dianna and used my knuckles and fingers. Well he said his fingers were filled with Apple Juice and the funny thing is Josh loved it. We have been so blessed to have this special soul in our family! Here are a few pictures I took of pictures we have around the house of Ben growing up. (sorry I wish there was more but my computer that has most of my family pics is getting fixed and unfortunately my box of photo albums has been moved around to make space while we rearrange the house)

6 months old

1 year old

2 years old

almost 3 years old

6 1/2 years old

8 1/2 years old

9 1/2 years old

Taken today at 12 years old (what a handsome young man eh)
Here are some of the highlights from this past year.

He started out age 11 with continuing to show how smart he is by winning not 1 but 2 earls lunches during the battle of the books the school held.

He had fun playing shadow puppets with Cloe using our Blue curtain as a back drop...
still deep in thought

Josh and Ben joined the intermediate floor hockey teams and have a blast playing after school every wednesday.

He took some more swimming lessons and finally got the hang of floating.. kind of. The problem with being active is you don't have much fat to keep you afloat.

He joined the school relay team with Josh and had a blast showing Cloe and Tommy how to be great spectators as well. He really adores his sister and he's a really great runner as well.

He joined the schools Volleyball team in the fall now that he is a grade 6 and LOVED every minute of it. He has joined the Basketball team this season but as they don't have their first game until thursday, no pics yet to show of that.

He felt the highlight of this past year of being 11 though was watching the Olympic Torch run to our house and exchange runners right here. He hopes one day to be apart of all of this himself.

So there is my new Young Man... it makes me a little sad to say that as I just don't know how the years went by so fast. He has grown well and is an amazing person and I know he will do great in this next stage of his life. Now to end this birthday wish here is a little picture fun. When Ben was 2 He and my cousin Jenny went to have their photos taken together in a photo booth and this is what we got. Happy birthday Sunshine!!!