Happy Birthday Brendan!

It's time for another birthday post! As usual, I am doing it the night before, because I never have time before work. So Brendan's birthday is tomorrow, February 16.

Brendan was the second of our four 2002 babies. He was such a darling little thing, and we were so excited to have another little baby in the family. One thing we were sad about--he was born with no fingers on his right hand, and we were worried about how he would handle that. But it has never stopped him, and he is the most amazing little boy. He can do anything, and you would never know. Somehow I've lost some of my pictures from early 2002, so I don't have a picture from the hospital, but here are some of him as a baby:

Here he is with Uncle Dave

Aunt Stacey making him laugh while Mommy holds him

Dad holding him and big sister Holly

With Mom, Dad, and sis in November 2002. He was just the happiest little baby!

On March 26, 2003, (his Dad's 30th birthday), Brendan had surgery on his hand. The doctors were able to take one of his toes and implant it onto his hand. It went so well--he was such a little trooper! By April, even though he still had a cast on his foot, he was already trying to walk. That little boy could do anything!

I love this picture--with older cousins Ethan and Joshy at the end of 2003. (Josh is only 1 month older). We had three boys born in 2002--lots of little boys at once. We are having a boys sleepover this Friday. It should be crazy, but fun!

Here he is dancing with Aunt Jan

And here he is in 2004, with me feeding him some cake.

This one was in 2005, at the April birthday party at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

And here he is in December of 2006, with four of his cousins. As I said, lots of boys born in a row! (Boy, are we going to have fun on Friday. :) :)

This is he and I watching Hallmark e-cards together in 2007. He especially loved the Hoops and Yoyo Irish Jig, and would laugh and laugh.

This is November 2007, playing checkers with me and Logan. He kept telling me that he was a "World Champion Chess player," so he would probably beat me (which wasn't too hard, since I don't know much about checkers). He certainly is a competive boy!

Here we are in February 2008, at the Dinosaur Musuem. We had so much fun that day!

I had to put this picture in, from this last Christmas Eve. Ever since he was a little boy, we've played this game where he will try to knock me over. When he was little he used to talk about how he had "strong powers." He usually succeeds in knocking me over, and we have so much fun playing our little game.

And finally, here he is last month skateboarding with Uncle Dan.

As I said, nothing stops this boy!

I'm so grateful for sweet Brendan, and all of the memories I've had with him. Happy Birthday, Buddy!