Party On, Wayne! Party on, Garth!

Action's "real" birthday is today. He gets to eat on the "You are Special" plate tonight, reserved for birthdays, straight A's, championships and other such special occasions. I'm cooking his favorite meal for supper, field peas with snaps over rice. He's taken phone calls, played with friends and generally goofed-off all day. What else can a little boy ask for on his birthday?

Reflecting on today's events and then on the day he was born, I have come to find that some things have oddly remained the same. We are back in the city where he was born. The day is chaotic, in the way it was back then. The same well-wishers have corresponded. He is the same sweet child - when he wants to be. And he knows how to work the blue eyes to get his way.

But mostly, things have changed. God is raising us up all together - a family learning, growing and changing. I now understand the rules, which I unfailingly questioned and argued as unfair as a child, that my mother used to make. I see her reasoning now - rules to protect, rules to train, rules to guide.

It is amazing how parenting changes as your children grow. I find myself working to teach Action self-reliance, where I used to train on basic social skills and spent time attending to his most basic needs. I have gone through these steps with Skibbie and am at an etirely different level with her, but Action is different. He's flighty, but not in the "artsy" way. He's dedicated to having fun and making the most of each day - responsibilities be damned (that's what Mom's are for-cleaning rooms, putting away laundry, making lunch). He has an uncanny ability to delegate. He's a salesman, turning on the charm when needed. He's pretty funny, too. He listens, but hears when convenient (especially hard when I'm giving instructions: "Oh, were you talking to me, Mom? I didn't hear you." Picture him resuming play at this point, not at all concerned about what I had said in the first place.) Yet, in all, he is sincere. As Mama says, he will enjoy his life.

So, happy birthday, Action. I know you love me, because you play along, whisper sweet thank you's and love you's at bedtime, and still sit in my lap.