I was greatly impressed with D.J. at his birthday party last night. He was gracious and generous with thanks and hugs for everyone, even before he opened any presents. That was cool enough, for someone just about to turn nine, but what really impressed me was the excitement he showed over each gift, as if that was the one thing he wanted most in the whole world at that moment. If you really want to endear yourself to people (especially if you’re nine years old in the midst of a lot of adults), that’s what you should do. The joy he demonstrated made it as great a night for us as it was for him. Well, almost.

Cake seemed a big issue for the younger kids. Kylie immersed herself in the chocolate and didn’t even try to disguise her enjoyment, but then, she’s a Good Eater in the truest sense. Aiden, on the other hand, has food issues, and it seemed that he didn’t want a piece with any excessive decoration on the frosting. It was white frosting with red lettering, and the first piece he was offered apparently had too much red, and he rejected it. He accepted the second piece, although he very carefully removed the red icing before tackling the cake itself. Then he took a few bites and was ready to move on to something else, but he was perfectly happy once he had resolved the situation in his own mind.

Dakota was both engaged and engaging last night, and although there was noise and chaos all around, he probably contributed less than just about anybody to it. He entertained himself well but was willing to play along with what was going on in general, and when it came time for his brother to open presents, he was sitting right next to him, reading the cards. I was just as impressed with him as I was with D.J.

Just before I left for the party last night, I was able to phone the Boss and tell him that I’d finished the year-end cost reports. This isn’t the end of the Big Project, but it’s a huge step, and it clears the way for the final stages. There isn’t much more I can do until he reviews the cost reports. I can’t express what a huge relief it was to know that I have this part of the job done. When I stuck the reports in the mail to him this morning, it was a very heavy weight being lifted off my back. I almost even smiled a little.