twelve

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Today my sweet Charlie turned twelve. Twelve. I walked around all day saying, "twelve". Twelve. Wasn't that magical day,when he was born, just yesterday? How could that be? The "birthday fairy" (a.k.a. my mother in law or myself) usually comes and ties the number of years in balloons on something in their bedroom. It is the first thing they see when they wake up. Always a great way to start your special day. Well last night, guess who didn't go to the store to get the balloons? Yep, that damn birthday fairy decided a twelve year old may not notice there were no balloons to wake up to. That damn birthday fairy. She was wrong.

Believe me, she will never forget again. The balloons were there after school, and you should have seen the grin.


We had a special celebration, with the two requests for dinner. Chicken scallopini and a homemade chocolate cake. And balloons of course, just eleven though. That damn birthday fairy (a.k.a. me) popped one getting out of the car. I don't think he even noticed.

Thank you so much for the fabulous comments on my silver belle.....honestly, it is like your comments are all stitched into my sweater. I will remember them all when I wear it! Thank you!

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42 comments

  1. What does one missing balloon matter when you've got the love and appreciation of your beautiful child?

    Happy Birthday, Charlie!

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  2. Happy BIrthday to Charlie, the balloon is such a cute tradition.

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  3. Happy birthday for Charlie. The cake looks so delicious i am sitting here drooling...YUM!

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  4. Happy Birthday Charlie!
    My oldest turns 13 on Jan 21st, just think around the time you were getting pregnant I was giving birth, my guess is you had more fun. LOL.
    I love the ballon idea, it's like once you start a "holiday" tradition you are NEVER able to stop.

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  5. Happy Birthday, Charlie!

    What a nice tradition with the balloons. I might have to steal that if I ever am lucky enough to have children.

    12, wow! Is he your oldest. Must kind of bitter sweet when the birthday's come.

    The cake looks yummy! Dinner sounded pretty darn good too!

    Jill

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  6. Anonymous9/19/2007

    happy happy birthday to charlie (and you, leslie)

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  7. Anonymous9/19/2007

    Happy birthday to Charlie! I really like the balloon idea. It was my husband's birthday, too.

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  8. YUMMY!!! any chance of sharing that recipe?

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  9. Anonymous9/19/2007

    Happy Birthday, Charlie!

    How lucky your children are to have such a wonderful mom and grandmother who create special family traditions. :)

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  10. You do NOT have a 12 year old! No way!

    But if you did, Happy Birthday to you both! :)

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  11. Happy Birthday, Charlie!
    Great requests for dinner! I bet that cake was fabulous!

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  12. Anonymous9/19/2007

    happy birthday charlie!

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  13. Anonymous9/19/2007

    Hey, Happy Birthday Charlie!

    Heads up that I'll be posting my Harry Potter seven book review tomorrow.

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  14. that cake looks amazing! we have a similar tradition that the birthday person gets a mylar birthday balloon tied to "their chair" around the kitchen table...Happy Birthday!

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  15. Happy Birthday Charlie! I love the balloon tradition!

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  16. Anonymous9/19/2007

    Many Happy Wishes for Charlie and the 'birthday Fairy!'

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  17. Anonymous9/19/2007

    What a great looking cake :) I like the balloon tradition.

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  18. happy birthday to your sweet charlie. I think I know how you feel about your son's age. My oldest just turned seven and I could hardly believe that it has been that long...I kept thinking SEVEN? Already? I think I walked around half the day in a haze and a little bit sad. We get a balloon for our kids almost every birthday, too... but we get the mylar ones. they don't pop nearly as easy. ;)

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  19. Anonymous9/19/2007

    Happy happy 12th birthday Charlie!

    Mine likes homemade chocolate cake too!

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  20. Awww, my tween thing turned 12 in April, such a special age!

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  21. Happy Birthday to Charlie.

    I used to order birthday cake made as a number figure as per Jayne's age when she was little. Not anymore now.

    Love your ballon idea. Will try it out next year.

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  22. Happy Birthday to your young man!!!

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  23. Happy Birthday to your dear one. 12 - wow! I'm still trying to grasp Ben at 8! Eek.

    That cake looks divine - balloons, how wonderful.

    Tanya

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  24. Anonymous9/19/2007

    wow. i want some of that chocolate cake. now.

    happy bday charlie.

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  25. Oh the balloons are such a lovely idea, a really touching family tradition. Happy Birthday to Charlie.

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  26. Happy birthday to toyr son :)
    And the cake looks yummy!

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  27. Anonymous9/20/2007

    smiled about the balloon story. who doesn't love balloons? think they are a hard thing to outgrow.

    on your silver belle i looked at the vogue knitting againg last night (for the millionth time) and i like that you made your's longer. i think it will be a classic this way.

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  28. happy birthday charlie! time does go by quicker than we want it to, doesn't it? i bet the birthday fairy will never make that mistake again!!! it reminds me of the year my mom stopped writing "from st nick" and "from santa claus" on my presents at christmas, and on christmas eve, i asked how come there are no presents here from santa? (i am mildly embarassed to admit this was about 3 years ago! :)

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  29. Happy Birthday! What a great idea, the balloons - these are special days indeed.

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  30. Happy Birthday Charlie.
    Where does the time go? Hang in there mommy.

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  31. Happy Birthday, Charlie! I love that picture of him with the balloons, taken from below. Very artistic. I love that he missed the balloons. Last Christmas, we asked our 21 year old what he wanted for Christmas, and he said what he really wanted was to come home and open presents under the tree. I guess it's hard letting go of childhood traditions.

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  32. Anonymous9/21/2007

    Oh, I'm late - again!

    Happy [belated] birthday sweet boy - all the way from Australia! x

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  33. Anonymous9/21/2007

    Oy! That was indeed not a really nice thing by the birthday fairy to forget the balloons - but after all, she brought them later and Charly was happy - that's what counts indeed! So, happy belated birthday to your boy, all the very, very best to him! And my gosh, the cake! The cake!!!! *Drool*

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  34. happy belated birthday to charlie; such a special day 12 years ago!

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  35. the birthday fairy, what a sweet tradition to have!

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  36. Anonymous9/21/2007

    I love the balloon tradition! I am going to co-opt this idea for Little Sir's future birthday celebrations. Or rather, I will make arrangements for the baloon fairy to do so. Happy birthday Charlie!

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  37. Happy Birthday! The time goes by so fast doesnt it. I am sure that the balloon fairy felt bad too, and one popped one doesnt matter. Chicken scallopini and cake sounds wonderful too, what a great choice.

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  38. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLIE!!
    i bet Charlie never thought he had so many well wishers. shame on the balloon fairy.

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  39. Anonymous9/23/2007

    I am soooo happy for Charlie that he knows his mom is not perfect! It is perfect, however, that he knows each and every day how much he is loved, adored and cherished by his mother and his father. Great photo's...great cake.....great mom.

    T.

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  40. twelve? wow, happy birthday Charlie! I love your story. Our parents did the same thing with balloons on the outside of our bedroom door handle. One birthday my sister opened the door and the balloons flew in towards her and she let out a shriek, she later said she thought that pigs were charging her from the hallway (the balloons were pink, but she must have been awfully groggy to think pigs)!
    xxoxo,
    S

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  41. Anonymous10/01/2007

    My 14 yo son and 17 yo daughter still like to get the "traditional Santa gifts". At our house these are a book, a puzzle, a game, new crayons and/or markers, new sketchbooks and an artsy kind of thing. My son isn't particularly artsy but still loves thiese things.

    For birthdays we do scavenger hunts and they have to find their gifts--usually one at each location with the first clue in their card.

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