Monkey Turns 10

My monkey turned 10 today. 10 years of laughter. 10 years of keeping me on my toes. 10 years of seeing things in ways I never imagined. To celebrate our favorite monkey child, we let Romney choose his party. He was specific. A sleepover with his best friends. Dinner at the Gateway and money to spend for him and his friends and the new toy store downtown. Dinner was eaten, yo-yos were chosen, and it was all capped off with a movie projected up on his wall while Romney and his friends all snuggled up in their respective sleeping bags. (P.S. When you are 10, you are way too cool to smile, even when having the time of your life.)

He was spoiled by his buddies in the morning with some very thoughtful gifts. His buddy, Lucas, gifted him an entire box of pins with funny sayings for his collection. Romney has proudly added them to his "pin hat" and is wearing them proudly.

Only a very good friend would know how much Romney wanted bath salts for his birthday. Seriously. This item was high on his wish list. He has bathed in them twice already (and I can't tell you how nice it is to smell lavender coming from the back bathroom, rather than pre-teen/teen boy smells.) Added to the bath salts were 2 packs of Pokemon cards. Such an eclectic mix of non-traditional boy and traditional boy. Exactly how I would describe Romney.

Romney had initially said that on his actual birthday he wanted a Mama breakfast date at the Original Pancake House. But, this morning he woke up and said "Never mind, Mom. I just really don't want to be late for school." So, he went to school on time and had a normal breakfast here at home. After we all got home from school, Romney got to open the family gifts. Bill made Romney a holder/carrier for his duct tape and we added a few duct tape rolls to the collection. He has been dying for a flash drive to put the cool presentations he makes at school on to bring home to show us, so he got a purple monkey flash drive. He received a Zombie Romney for President shirt. And, from William, a giant sock monkey stuffed animal.

The Universe gave Romney one of the most stunning sunsets we have seen this year.

Romney couldn't wait to put on his Halloween costume and stand next to his giant new friend. I personally think the monkey on the right is the cutest monkey I have ever seen, even hiding under the Zombie Sock Monkey facade.