Smiles, Laughter, Tears: If you 'mustache', Ethan turned 9!

It was all smiles and hairy lips at our house tonight as we celebrated the little bald guy's 9th birthday.
Thank you to everyone who came and the wonderful, fun gifts!
From the Sparkle Paige, Auntie Carissa and Uncle Roberto Ethan will be the best dressed dude at pool therapy in his new trunks and rockin Toy Story beach towel.
From Aunt Kate, Joe, Marissa and Abby he will be entertained for hours with his silly singing chicken!
From Grandma Sharon and Grandpa John he will look so cool in his new Nike kicks!
He won't go hungry thanks to Auntie Beth's gift of two cases of formula and some shopping cash!
He will be showing his school spirit for his big sissy and Bo-Bo with his new Staley Falcons t-shirt!
He will be able to buy a new Taylor Swift concert t-shirt with the cash he got from Grandpa Chuck and Grandma Teresa!
And he will be able to join us all in his new recliner while chillaxin' and watching some Walking Dead! (I only bought him one summer outfit, and should be acknowledged for showing such great restraint-I figured the 47 he already has will get him through the summer. That and Brian threatened me!)

We are blessed and thankful for every birthday we get to celebrate with our special guy, as there was once a time we thought we'd never see nine years old. Ethan is an amazing little guy who has brought such happiness and joy to our lives. We have all learned so much about life and unconditional love from him. He amazes us daily at what he has accomplished against many odds and with many obstacles thrown his way. And with a resilience like no other!
He makes me a better person, and shows me patience and strength I never knew I had. One toothy smile from him with his wrinkled scrunched up little nose makes my world right. To hear his laughter is my sunshine, and to hold him in my arms and have him look into my eyes makes all my worries go away.

We are the lucky ones to have been given our sweet, special boy. Though not without struggles, nothing would we change about our lives with him.

We love you our stinky, bald guy, Ethanator and hope to have many more Happy Birthdays with you!

And yes, this week my hair dryer caught on fire-yep actual flames, albeit small ones, our living room TV shot craps, and I've been sick as heck. Oh, and Ethan's JG has had to be switched out 3 times in the last three weeks due to clogs in the J part, AND we are heading down to The Mercy tomorrow morning for another one! Thank goodness those IR folks like us ;)
now we just gotta figure out what's clogging it!