And another one turns 11

Today Liam turned 11. Is it just me, or is that the older they get the less exciting the birthday becomes? Normally I would have invitations out 3 weeks before the event, but 2 weeks ago I had nothing planned. I gave him the option of a party and a smallish present or no party and a Wii. He chose the Wii, which we don't even have yet because everyone is sold out. This was supposed to be his last big party and I feel bad that he didn't get it. He doesn't mind though, I guess he's thinking it's better to have years of a gaming system over one $200 party that only lasts 3 hours. He ended up getting 3 games for his playstation (all ones that I would not have approved of, this is what I get for sending him and William out together!), some clothes and a new soccer ball. He received presents from his dad and my mum last weekend. Not even a phone call from the paternal grandparents, this really pisses me off. I can bet a card and some money will arrive from William's parents in Australia in the next few days, but nothing from his own grandparents. Once their dad passes away, they will lose virtually all contact with his family. H's sister already will not allow them to come over there, so they have to meet him at the mall. Anyway, that's a supersized post in itself, and I shouldn't get into it now.

So my baby is 11. I am not allowed to call him my baby anymore, of course, but I still do. I found today really sad. He is growing up so fast and I worry about him so much. He is 11. He is 11 and he cannot read. This absolutely breaks my heart. I think I let Liam's dyslexia define him, and I know I shouldn't do that. But...but how do you go through life as an illiterate adult? For unless things change quickly that is what he will be. He did so well in his first year of academic support, in Grade 4, but now, in the fifth and with a new ( and not very able) teacher he is really struggling. Since he was diagnosed with his learning disabilities in Grade 1, I have resisted putting him on meds. I think I am going to have to break and do it though. He just can't focus at all. Ask him to do something and it goes right out his head. This has been a hard year for Liam, fighting at school with his friends, struggling with teachers who he thinks don't like him, his father's progressing illness.

And yet, he is such an amazing kid. A whiz at math, he can do multiplication in his head that I would do on paper and then double check with a calculator. He has unending quantities of patience with Saoirse. He will watch any Disney movie with her over and over. He loves soccer, snowboarding and skateboarding. He refuses to cut his hair and it is now at his shoulders (that's not amazing, just annoying.) He loves his dad and is willing to see him while his sister will not (again, another post!), he loves his step dad and even possibly his mother. At 3, he used to make himself sandwiches, now he cooks himself eggs most mornings for breakfast, and can make any number of meals.

All in all, he's a great kid, I have been blessed to have him in my life for the last 11 years.

He doesn't like to have his picture taken, and with the camera unable to upload for the last 4 months there are few to choose from. Notice he is not looking directly at the camera in any of them and that his hair tends to cover his face. These pictures are from this past summer.



Letting Saoirse attempt to choke him. Excuse the mess in the background, this was right after we moved and there were boxes everywhere. The blue container got moved up to the girls room, where it still sits to this day. I'm pretty sure it was mostly crap really important things from my bedroom.



At the Welsh pavillion at Heritage Days, He refused to look up, whereas the picture of Taylor you can actually see her face. That's Saoirse in the pink hat behind him.


Holding Sophie in the hospital. I love this picture of him, even though you can't actually see him. To me, it's just a picture of adoration. And how different from 21 months earlier, when he wanted nothing much to do with Saoirse and cameras!