World's Greatest Eleven Year Old

Today is my oldest child's birthday.

Teeny tiny baby announcement

Thanks to this kid, I feel pretty old now. We have suddenly reached that stage where I can humiliate him {quite easily} in public just by opening my mouth.
What I'm trying to say is that he's more of an adult than I am and that makes me ancient.
Yesterday he told me, in an off-handed way, that my teeth look like Mater's.  He's full of great compliments. Maybe they're payback for the embarrassment.

2 years old

There are days I love this mom job and days when quite honestly feel like maybe I'd rather do something else.  But there is never a day when I don't want to be a mom to this kid (or his fantastic siblings). Does that make sense? I'm confusing like that.

 Happy Birthday, Kid. I appreciate your patience with this first-time mom...

 your curiosity about everything (especially every gross thing)...

your creativity and initiative...

and your general wackiness.  It's our distinguishing family trait.
I love you.

Discoveries

"Look! Look!"
She ran into the kitchen, silken hair in disarray, nose running faster than her little feet, eyes bright with enthusiasm.  She had news to tell her older sister.  She settled for telling Mommy.
"There's Pink in the Sky!  C'mere!"
I couldn't resist following.
"There. Pink. And Purple. And Yellow. And White."

[There was no white, but it is one of her three favorite colors, so she had to find it.]

I don't remember when I discovered the glory of a setting sun, but I hope I never forget when she did.

I tried hard to photograph this moment, fiddling with my aperture and ISO settings as best as I could. [Can anyone tell I've been reading my manual?] 
I need some help, camera-wise.  A new {unbroken} lens would be a good first step.
But really.
This fuzzy shot is a good enough reminder, it will jog my memory when I'm a dear old wrinkled lady and my little discoverer is a mommy herself. 
It would be nice to take perfect pictures, but for now I'll settle with focusing my heart (if not always my camera) on the subject matter. 
I am on the lookout, maybe I'll find my own "Pink in the Sky."  Something tells me it is all about looking in the right direction.

Wow. I sound like someone in one of those 30-Second Self-Help spots on the radio.  A little cheesy and trite.  Oh well.  We all get to have a sappy day here and there.  I hope I run across this post sometime when I'm about to yell at those little discoveries.