Days with the Dorans

I can't believe our baby is NINE already!!! Poor kiddo has a birthday at such a busy time in the Doran house. His birthday fell on a Tuesday which meant we had musical practice, 2 cross country practices, 3 soccer practices and marching band. (Ugh) So we went out to dinner on Monday with everyone and Nana treated the birthday boy and his sibs to some ice cream too! While he opened some presents on Monday, we did save some until Tuesday. It was a late night and we let him skip soccer so we could spend some time with him. When everyone was done, we DID open some last presents and sing and blow out candles! We DO want to do a kid party- though it may fall over the holidays~ or maybe a half birthday thing. Sorry Sean! I do love you so much! Happy Birthday my super sweet son!!!

Zach's 9th birthday was a busy one (as it always is... SPRING!). Thankfully we were able to do presents before we headed to soccer and then (for me and Al) dance. My folks were able to swing by for dinner and they got Z a bigger bike (which he needed). I went on a bike ride with my THREE Bigs and when we got back, Seany was riding on two wheels! I'd say Zach's 9th birthday was a memorable one.  I love that kid! Although he claims he'll always be 7 (since Papa wanted to freeze him at that age), it is fine to be nine and that is one FINE boy I have! Love you, Goose!

 I can't believe that Ali is nine (but then... she's been counting down her birthday for over a month now...).  When she woke up, Jeffy made her pancakes and then we opened presents.  She was excited about her gifts.  The shirt I got her (that Sarah Miller told me about a while back) was perfect and she spent all morning tapping on her tap board.  I hit the treadmill (can you believe I am jogging now??) and then we were off to lunch with the family. My dad wanted to start a new tradition of going to Hamtramck for Al's birthday (like we used to for mine), but the place was PACKED (it was on a Saturday) so we went somewhere around Dan and Steph's.  I think the kids would have preferred the pizza they had to Polish food.  Dan and Steph picked up a cake and we had a little celebration at their place.  When we got home, we played (made bracelets, danced and had a movie night). The next day was Al's birthday party with friends.  She opte...

 Joe's birthday landed on a Saturday this year and it was a busy one.  Between my time going to the garden then off to Joe's and Al's soccer games and then back home to celebrate, we were a busy bunch!  Joe couldn't sleep the night before his birthday (and neither could I), so he came downstairs and we had some good mother-son talks and when he finally did go to bed, I found myself thanking God for that special little (almost) nine year old that He let me raise. I blew up 50 balloons and I think it was after 3am that I finally went upstairs to go to bed. I woke up early to screams of Christmas morning and I knew he saw all the balloons I'd blown for him (and the other decorations) and I smiled.  If there is one thing I always want (all) my kids to know, it's how special they are and how thankful I am for their birthdays (especially Joey's, because it carries some mixed feelings about his brother).  Jeff went out before Joe woke up and got him donuts...