Happy Birthday to all!

It's April...major birthday month around here! Charlie and I both celebrated our birthdays in the past week--Charlie turned 6 and I turned 28 (well on the way to 30...it's all down hill from here!!). It's crazy, Charlie being 6 years old. We are 1/3 of our way through the time we have with Charlie at home (assuming he leaves at 18)...that's insane...will the next 1/3 go as fast as this part has?
Charlie is changing so fast...he is reading and writing like a PRO! We were reading a Dr. Suess, "Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now" and he can really read it. He sounds things out and everything! It's so wierd when you have three kids close together like we do...Charlie is reading and writing, Jackie can recognize letters and numbers and can write a few letters, and Henry is clueless (possibly color blind as he thinks everything is blue or pink!!!).
My birthday was awesome! I have just been so restless...I needed a change and lo!and behold Jamie, my BFF, made an unexpected visit for the weekend. It was great! I got to go out for my birthday, get a great thoughtful gift from my sister and mother-in-law, and...got a new tatoo! After a fabulous meal at Bahama Breeze Jamie, my sister Katie, and Jer made a slightly impulsive decision (although prior thought had been put into it!)and were on our way to Rock N Roll Tattoo and Piercing...the place itself was very brightly lit and most of the people were extremely frightening...mostly what you would expect from a tatto parlor!!! Jamie and I had decided to get the tattoos before we pulled into the parking lot but it took us (HER) a while to clarify it with the tattoo artist. We had a great time...it was an especially exciting experience for Jam as it was her first permanent alteration to her body! I actually got my first tattoo the day I turned 18. It is a rustic cross with diasies growing around it and it is on the center of my lower back (aka tramp stamp). So, I found myself, EXACTLY 10 years later getting a new tattoo and crossing new boundaries--into the realm of visible body area! Everyone spent a lot of time getting me to think about the possible ramifications of getting my tattoo where I did, but my heart was set on it...it just felt right. My new tattoo is on the inside of my left wrist. There are 3 stars, one for each of my babies. I have a small scar on that wrist that I wanted to cover up...now every time I look at that wrist, instead of seeing my ugly scar, I see my 3 beautiful boys instead! Let me tell you this...it hurt like a BEEACH!!! excuse the language, but seriously, there is not other way to express it. It took a lot of deep breathing, and of course, since it is in a visible place it was not like I could just tell the guy to stop--once you start you can't go back!! I am so happy with it though...it will be interesting to hear what other people think about it. Roy said it make me look badass...that's what I was going for! :)