The Big 13!

Today my baby is 13!!! I don’t even know how this is possible!!! I’m so proud of the young man that Hunter has become and love every single second that I get to spend with him!

There was a time that I just wanted to survive the seconds with Hunter!!! When Hunter was 3, I wasn’t sure that we were both going to survive!!!

I asked Hunter if he cared if I wrote some about the year of 3 and he said, “I love those stories. They are hilarious!”

I saw this face a lot!!! (well- minus the glitter that his cousins put on him!)

Ummm….10 years later I think the stories are funny – still not sure that hilarious is the right word – as long as we don’t have to repeat that year of 3!

One day, the boys and I were at Target (actually almost every day!) and Hunter threw himself on the floor and pitched a fit. I said, “OK – see you later.” I tried to get Jordan to walk a couple steps away with me – next thing I know, Jordan is crying because he thought we were really going to leave Hunter.

nice look - socks, sandals & grey sweat pants! — nice look – socks, sandals & grey sweat pants!

When Hunter was 2 I used to say he was either the cutest thing ever or the most ornery!

And, for months he really was cute. Then gradually he turned from ornery into a very strong-willed little boy and every day was a struggle!!

Fits and full-blown tantrums were a normal part of our day. It didn’t matter what I said to him some days – he would just throw himself on the floor and pitch a fit.

he looks so innocent doesn't he? — he looks so innocent doesn’t he?

I could hand him a sucker and he would throw himself on the floor! “I didn’t want red – I wanted blue!”

There was a period of about 3 months that I would sit at the dinner table with Chris after the boys were excused and cry every night. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong!

After Jordan started kindergarten, Hunter and I had 2 years that it was just he and I all day every day. We had some fun times together (minus the fits of course)!!!

We also had some rough days!

black eye (I can't remember what happened - poor boy) — black eye (I can’t remember what happened – poor boy)

One day, after a very rough morning, I read the book Love You Forever to Hunter before nap-time. By the end I could barely read it because I was crying so much – I don’t think he got it but he wiped my tears and hugged me!!!

Even though 3 was a rough age, by the time he was 4, life was much better!!

brotherly love (even with guns & holsters)

Hunter went through about 2-3 years that he had horrible leg-aches at night. Several nights a week he would wake up crying because they hurt so much. Growing up I had the same thing and when I was in high school my sister and I shared a room and bed she had them. (I used to rub her legs until she fell asleep.) I spent many nights laying in bed with Hunter and calming him and rubbing his legs until he could sleep again.

Even though I hated the fact that he was hurting, I loved that time that I had with him in the darkness – he wanted me to stay with him until he could sleep again – I spent many hours just being there with him in the night!!! And they were calm times (after he quit thrashing his legs)!!

a visit with some of the cousins and this happened

Hunter has always been happy to hug me and give me kisses – as a baby/toddler he was very snuggly and he will still wrap his arms around me and hug me!!

this was actually Hunter's 1st birthday — this was actually Hunter’s 1st birthday

Hunter hated having to walk places. Even at age 4 he preferred being carried – I think he was my original weight training!!! The summer he was 4 we spent 3 weeks in New Jersey – Chris had a training course and the boys and I were tourists. I carried him all over many places because “his legs were tired.”