Chase at Thirteen

I now have two teenagers. Today Chase is thirteen! I originally thought I would set this to post at his actual time of birth, I did with Marina's birthday post. Then I realized that would me it wouldn't read for most of his birthday! So I'll post it now, 11 hours before his actual time of birth, 7:35PM on May 20th.

Chase was my easiest birth. I didn't even know I was in labor half of the day. I finally called the midwife because the little twinges I felt were about five minutes apart. It was the hottest day of that year, so I was very happy that we had him at the Birth Cottage, since it was air-conditioned. The ever helpful Marina, then three, jumped at Buelo's suggestion that she catch the baby, and was very upset when the midwife decided to take over. We made it up to her later. Marina was the third to hold her new brother after me and daddy.

I love that I have a son. He is caring and sensitive, helpful and loving, with a good sense of humor and the cutest dimples (yes, sweetie, I know I'm embarrassing you). How proud I am of his accomplishments, especially the black belt he received in Tae Kwon Do last winter. His artistic strength lies in sculpture. I've never seen a boy who could make so many toys with LEGOs, pipe cleaners, aluminum foil, cardboard and clay. What a joy it has been to watch you grow these thirteen years!

I always thought it wouldn't be hard for him to be a middle child, especially since he is my only son. But sometimes he has felt that middle child invisibility and because his birthday is the last one of the month, he assumed I wouldn't do much for him this month. He said I was probably only going to make cupcakes for his birthday. So I decided to surprise him with a pirate map cake based on the Pirates of the Caribbean game he likes to play.



I'm only posting one picture just in case he wants to put it on his blog. If I try this again, I think I will use thinner icing and make the islands out of cookies. I have pastry chef's cramp.

We have now reach the last of the May birthdays. May Madness is over. I have baked five cake recipes this month to produce three birthday cakes. And I managed to get through it all and actually lose a couple of pounds. Woohoo!