ben turns 34!

The evening before Ben's birthday was the Cintas date I just posted about. (Mediterranean food and Haunted House).

As we drove home, Ben and I both mentioned that we felt kind of yucky.  We figured it was from all the different foods and the haunted house lighting.

When we got home, after everyone was in bed, I decorated the house for Ben's birthday the following Ben, and we crashed.

At around midnight, Sam woke me up saying he threw up.  He then told me that he missed the bathroom.

I made him a bed on the floor in our room, and I slugged my way upstairs to survey the damage.  I was definitely not ready for what I saw.

Sam had thrown up ALL over in his room.  The walls, doors, and carpet were all hit.  The amount was mind blowing.

Throw up is always really gross, but after being a mother for 10 years now, I thought I had learned how to just dig in and clean it up.

This time around though, I truly could not do it.  I kept getting sick every time I tried to clean it.  I made my way back to our room, woke Ben up, and asked him to clean it.  He said he wouldn't do it right then, and to wait until morning.

That would mean that we would have dried throw up everywhere, and unfortunately, that is harder to clean.  So, I made my way upstairs and literally gagged my way through cleaning it all up.  It was the hardest time I have ever had cleaning something like that up.

I finally got back in bed, just in time for Sam to groan and grab his stomach. I quickly picked him up and ran him to the bathroom where he unloaded everything again.

This happened two more times in the next hour.  The poor kid was miserable.

Around 2:00am, Sam finally seemed settled, so I fell asleep.

I woke up to the sound of Ben getting out of Ben very quickly.  He walked around our bed toward the bathroom and then I heard a HUGE crash of doors banging together and cupboards banging.  It honestly sounded like the house was falling down.

I looked toward the bathroom as Ben rolled on to his back on the floor and was completely still.

I shot out of Bed and ran to Ben, who was completely unconscious.  I thought that maybe he had tripped over Sam on the floor and hit his head on the counter and knocked himself out, but there was no blood on his head.

Finally, Ben started to stir and said that he was going to throw up.  I grabbed Sam's bowl from him and gave it to Ben, just as I heard William screaming from the other room.

I thought William would be puking too, but he just woke up from all the noise and was scared.

Ben continued to throw up for a while and then finally told me that he had just woken up feeling really sick and passed out on his way to the bathroom.

Poor guy!  What a way to start your Birthday.

Needless to say, Ben stayed home from work the next day, and Sam was home from school.

I took the kids to the store to get a few small things for Ben (he already got his big present earlier by going to the Warren Miller movie with me, Mary, Sam and William.  He also got a ski helmet).

Ben slept on and off all day, and so did Sam.

I had planned on a big Birthday dinner, but I just made the cake, and we will have the dinner later.

Later in the evening, the kids gave Ben the presents they picked out.

They each gave him a picture of them with Ben, a balloon and a gift that they picked out. It was really cute.

Luke gave Ben a saw and a flashlight. He also gave him a measuring tape, but then took it back to keep. haha

William gave him his favorite treats...Skittles and Jerkey (which the kids promptly ate)

Mary gave him a CD

Sam was too sick to get off the couch, but he gave Ben hand warmers for when they ski together.

Molly gave him lots of loves and kisses and snuggles and an exercise floor ladder.

We then had cake and ice cream, and Ben was kind enough to blow out the candles so that Luke could see fire, and the kids could sing to him.

Soon after, everyone went to bed. We were all done for.

Ben also had phone calls throughout the day, and lots of nice Facebook messages.

I hope he was able to have a good Birthday, even with feeling crappy.

I am so glad I am married to him, and that we get to share this life together.  I was grateful for the chance to celebrate Ben and to reflect on the good man and wonderful father he is.

We are all so blessed to have him in our lives.

Happy Birthday Ben. We love you.