The best birthday EVER!!!!

Yesterday we had a party for John IV at our local rock climbing place.

To say he was excited was an understatement..

For example, while walking in Target to pick up the last minute things, he felt the need to sing Bon Jovi's 'Living on a Prayer' as if no one else exsisted. I got many looks from parents....wondering why I would allow this behavior...why not?? Right? It isn't every day you have a birthday AND a Valentine party...

After his friends arrived at the rock climbing place, they were all soooo wonderful. They all listened intently to the rules. John was determined he was going to climb to the top of the wall and then let go and pretend to sky dive.....um.....yea.....about that. We will get to that in a minute.

Soon he was off....and climbing like a fool...Until his dad said something and he turned around to ask him what he said....And the realization of how far he was up kicked in and so did the fear. He started yelling 'LOWER LOWER LOWER' and we tried to talk him out of it...but we got him down. He came down looking a little scared and unsure....but went back up....

This was another go round where he got almost to the top - and then again, he freaked. We got him to come down...and talked him into one more....

And this one was the winner...and why? He was on his way up and fell - yup fell right off that wall and when nothing happened - when he didn't come crashing down to the ground -he realized that his parents actually know something, and mean what we say....When he came down the following comments came out of his mouth....

'I was so scared I almost cried.'

'There was a rock that was shaped like Slave 1' (Slave 1 is a ship in Star Wars - duh...)

And here is another time to the top - this time to ring the bell....he was so proud....

One last picture - of the man I love....ahh....

The wonderful words that my son bestoyed up on us were just great....He said that he could never say thank you enough. And that he no longer feels like he is 6 or 7 but feels like he is now 10.....wow...huh?

To think of where we were 2 years ago...that he was just now being admitted into the hospital for complications from his mylogram - where he had a spinal fluid leak and couldn't stop vomitting...and he couldn't even sit up for longer than 3 minutes....and he missed his own birthday party...and his birthday he was finally released from the hospital but told he was only allowed to get off the couch to go to the bathroom, and that was only if he had to.

To think that this boy, was so very ill - who was merely surving just a few years ago - is now thriving...the world is at his feet....and he is very excited about the possibilities...

On a happier note, my son, the president of the Star Wars Cult, received 3 Lego Star Wars sets....and was very disappointed when I told him that it was bed time, not building time. He begrudgingly went to bed...only to wake at 5:08 AM - to which I told him to go back to bed....he waited until 5:32 AM - because he just couldn't stand it any longer.

I came down at 6, after hearing the scattering of legos too many times...and checked on him...and he was feverishly building his ships for the ensuing battle...and he got two of the same ships - and he was telling me how there will be a commadeering going on, and an attack - and it was the best thing that could happen...

So folks...turning 7 is sweet.....sooooo bittersweet...