Fanstastic! Callahan is 9

Callahan is officially nine!  Nine?  Whaaa?  So he's been counting down all month to his birthday, so excited for it all!  We woke up and had a yummy breakfast and sang to him.  He was so ready to get to school.  At lunch time, we joined him to eat and brought some homemade maple donuts for his class.  We also got to go out and play with him at recess.  I love how he was surrounded by girls during most of recess.  He was playing ball with the boys, but then the girls asked him to play tag, so he consented.  Cov had fun with that, too.  Of course, Cal hates his picture being taken, but his friends were willing to smile, haha.  He is quite the ladies man at school, wink wink.  Then we got home to decorate a bit for that day.  When he got home, we relaxed and watched a show, had Monte Cristo sandwiches for dinner, looked at his baby book, opened presents, played some games and had a "donut cake".  It just so happened that it was Cal's turn to stay up late with me.  So we watched some Studio C videos and played some board games.  This crazy kid is so fun and good!  

The weekend after his birthday, we had a friend sleepover party.  Cal really wanted a gymnastics birthday.  This is what the invitations said: "Tumble, flip, jump and run On over for some birthday fun! You’re invited to Callahan’s fantastic 9^th gymnastics birthday sleepover party.  Friday, December 1 at 6 p.m. to Saturday December 2 at 10 a.m.  (Dinner and breakfast served)  Please bring your sleeping bag and pillow and get ready for some tumbling fun*  *No gymnastics skills required."

We decorated with a Happy Birthday sign, balloons and gymnastics silhouettes all over.  First, we watched a video of different men's gymnastics events.  This inspired the boys to take off their shirts...show offs!  ;)  Then we did activities for each of the events.  For the warm up – balance partner challenges, floor routine – dance party, parallel bars – trying to handstand across two pieces of tape on the ground, rings – Donut on a string game, balance beam – doing tricks and balancing on  wood beam on the floor, vault – slime making as it bounces and is flexible and bendy. For dinner, we had pizza, green salad, mixed fruit and pop.  The boys also went and made their own "spooky" videos and played night games in the backyard.  We opened presents and Cal got some fun boy things like Legos and balls, he was most excited about the Bean Boozled jelly beans, which they played.  Then they watched a movie, the new Spiderman movie.  Some stayed up after that wanting to watch another movie, some crashed, some played games.  I think the last fell asleep around 2 a.m.  There was lots of screaming and laughing and bodily noises, they are fun and crazy boys! 

The boys slept in until about 8 and then were ready to play again.  For breakfast in the morning, Cal requested chocolate waffles, which were a huge hit with the boys! They played outdoors and inside and then the parents came.  During the afternoon, we were looking around for Cal, and couldn't find him.  Then we finally found him in his bed.  Cal had a nice long nap that afternoon.  :)

As we sang "Happy birthday" to him, I love how all of the boys sang "Happy birthday, dear Ryerse".  I knew the last name thing would start, but I wasn't thinking it would be until he was a teenager.  Another sign that he's growing up way too fast!

Some of Cal's favorite things at 9...

In his spare time: Play with friends
Best friends: Kolten, Wilk, Carter, Torsten, Aydan,Angelo
Favorite color: Green and blue
Favorite books: Captain Underpants, Dogman
Favorite food: Pizza, Monte Cristo sandwiches
Favorite treat: Brownies 
Favorite drink: Root beer, Sprite, cream soda
Favorite vegetable: Cucumber
Favorite fruit: Banana
Favorite thing to play with: Lucy, Covey & Emma
Favorite toy: Legos 
Favorite subject at school: P.E. 
Favorite TV show: Thundermans, King Julian
Favorite movie: Despicable Me movies
Favorite song: White & Nerdy by Wierd Al, Gethsemane
Favorite board game: Fantastic Gymnastics, Chess, Creation card game
Favorite video game: Roblox
Favorite season: Fall because you get to play football
Favorite animal: Cougars, cats, turtles
Favorite sport: Gymnastics & football
Thing he's best at: Gymnastics
Favorite outdoor activity: Make movies and videos with friends
Favorite indoor activity: Hide & Go Seek
Wants to be when he grows up: Professional gymnast

Cal is very sensitive and has a good heart.

Hates getting his picture taken.  

Starting to get a little more of a temper as of late.  We're working on controlling that.

Very physical and loves to always be moving...running, hopping, rolling, flipping, cartwheeling everywhere.

Enjoys watching college football with Daddy and is always asking him "Which team are we voting for?"

Likes playing sports of all types, especially gymnastics (obviously) and football.  We tried to get him to do gymnastics from the time he was little, but he just kept saying "nope, I'm holding out for football!" and told us at first gymnastics was for girls.  I think he changed his mind.

Rides his bike whenever he can.  Working on looking both ways every time, not just some times.

Still has very dry skin.  We've found a few things that work okay for him, but poor guy is dry as a desert.  When he takes of his clothes, little white flakes fall off.

He's a great student, and particularly excels in math, reading and P.E.  Working on slowing down and double checking his work this year.

Callahan is loving Cub Scouts, he particularly loved day camp this past summer.

His prayers are so heart-felt.  Lately, he's really seen that prayers have impact for others and it's been praying for everyone with cancer, as Aunt Shirley has been battling it, and a little boy, Christian at school whose Mom died recently. 

He is a good friend to others and has some great friends he plays with.  Everywhere we go, we can tell how much kids really like Callahan.  

Cal is very unselfish and often gives things to others he really likes or lets others go first, etc.