Happy Birthday, S!

Today is my oldest nephew, S's, birthday! He is turning 14! OK, that in itself is unbelievable. I remember holding him in his little primary colored Gymboree clothes and wondering if I would ever be responsible enough to have my own baby. I guess someone thought I was responsible because I wound up with 2. Anyway, more about S. I have so many snapshots in my mind of him. Standing in his Dad's fishing boots when he was about 3, having baths in the sink, being the big kid in the tub with his brothers and cousins, playing soccer, finding every jump on the hill to ski off, and the swagger he adopted when he was about 11 because he was so cool! In November of 2005, S looked like this...

He had just survived 5 months of intensive chemotherapy. He fought the C word like a samurai warrior. He put up with hospital stays, blood transfusions, nausea, cravings, a summer spent mostly inside instead of outside and all the other crap that comes with cancer.

Now, S looks like this....

He has gained weight, grown a few inches and still has that great smile. He plays soccer, basketball, baseball and skis like a downhill racer. He still allows me to hug him and I even got to give him a kiss this morning when he ran in to pick up his cupcakes. You got it, I am the aunt/mom that likes to bake, so I get asked to make the special funfetti cupcakes every year! Do I mind? No way. He is a real trooper and has worked hard to come out on the other side of cancer as a better, stronger person. I am so proud of him!