Happy Birthday T

Happy Birthday Tyler!

I seriously can not believe you are thirty-two! You always seem young to me. I'm glad you're my brother and I thought I'd take you down memory lane today on your b-day. Although I'm not even sure you read my blog, unless it's to make a dirty anonymous comment! But you wouldn't be a true older brother if you didn't take pleasure from my freak-outs!

These first two pictures amuse me, because they remind me of the two sides of you. The silly side, and the grumpy side. Both extreme, both amusing, both totally you.

What a sweet brother you are, I like to tell myself that you're comforting me in this picture. Or maybe you're the cause of my tears and trying soothe things over before I tell on you. I don't remember, but it's a sweet picture either way. I remember you were always someone I could hang out with and play cars or GI Joe's with. Most older brothers wouldn't let a little sister do that.

Aren't we cute! You made a great pirate.

I think I could still take you down. This is the phase where our form of communication was me beating the crap out of you, and you coming up with new and inventive forms to flip me off. Good times.

You've always been great with kids. Even the naked barbaric kind.

I had so many pictures of you, it was insane. I like this, because it's so who you are, trying to get a rise out of me or just make me laugh. Like the time you visited me in the hospital when I went into pre-term labor. Do you remember that? I was hooked up to all these machines and couldn't leave my bed and you left me a little treat to endure for the next few minutes. Yeah, I was pretty ticked at you, but it's quite funny looking back. I just hope the nurses didn't think the smell came from me!

I love this picture, because this is the camping trip where I didn't have my Tom with me so I was playing single mom, and Collin was a cranky, needy baby, and I was going nuts. And even though you had your own babies to take care of, you took the time to give me a break. Thanks, I think I'm going to cry right now because I'm pregnant. Blame the hormones!

You're a great dad. You take time to be with your boys, to play with them and teach them things. You've never been a father that's been scared to load up your three babies and take them out on your own. And I'm so excited you now have #4, little Ryder. You're boys are blessed to have you for a dad.

And of course you're always up for a good time, especially when it has to do with the outdoors. I'll always remember going hunting with you (pre-marriage/kids days), and you would take me with you and we would track animals and you taught me so much, and you never got too mad at me when I would step on a branch or something like that.

You've been a great brother, and I think you've turned out pretty darn well considering the four girls you grew up with. Hope you have a happy birthday and that Gina treats you well today. Ha ha, like she ever doesn't!