Double Digits

We haven't forgotten about Ruby's 10th birthday. In fact, we've been celebrating since October, when Scott and I took her on her Ten Year Old Trip to San Francisco! Saturday was her friend party. In her decisive manner, Ruby had it all worked out that she would only invite her very closest friends and they would play the Wii, have dinner and go ice skating. And that's just what they did. Scott took the rest of the kids out on the town while I lurked in the background of the party, first at our house, then at the ice rink. The girls were boisterous and fun and had a great time. Ruby wanted her favorite dessert for the party, tiramisu, but she was happy with the chocolate layer cake with chocolate mousse we got instead.

Today, her real birthday, all the kids got to choose a mini box of cereal for breakfast. I've been saving them for Ruby's birthday, remembering how exciting those tiny boxes were to me as a kid. With all the waiting, everybody was ready for breakfast early. They all had their boxes staked out.

For lunch, Scott checked Ruby out of school. They made a stop at the Chinese New Year party so Ruby could see all the little ones. It's becoming a tradition for Scott to take the kids to Pepperbelly's for lunch on their birthdays, mostly for the free fried ice cream! When Scott stopped by the party, all the moms raved about what a great dad he is. I said to my friends, "If you have to have a husband, he's the one to have." OK, that might have come out wrong! But being such a good guy, Scott laughed.

Tonight, we carried on yet another tradition that dates back to Ruby's third birthday. We always go to the Olive Garden. Ruby always orders blackened salmon and tiramisu. She got the birthday song from a chorus of waiters and basked in the limelight, just like always. As if all the festivities weren't enough to make her day perfect, Ruby brought home a perfect report card. She hates it when I say she's perfect, but it's true. She is an old soul who is compassionate and thoughtful, insightful and endearing. We just love her, of course. I told her again tonight how glad I am that her birthday is in January because it makes an otherwise cold, snowy month so happy and sunny. It's not just in January that I'm grateful for Ruby. It's every time she shows kindness to one of her siblings or does her practicing on her own or says something hilarious. In short, I'm grateful for Ruby every day, every moment. Happy Birthday, Rubes! We love you.