# 1 Grandson

Happy Birthday Colton! Our firstborn grandchild is turning 10 years old today! What a great milestone! He has passed into the realm of double digits which will last him the rest of his life (unless of course, he makes it to 100 and +). Colton is the little person that changed my status forever... from mother to grandmother... a real step up in this life!

Just a short 10 years ago today he came into this world via Vancouver, BC, Canada and this year he is celebrating in Beijing, China. He has more skymiles to his credit than most adults! Heidi and Eric had moved to Vancouver to start a branch of Sunburst Shutters just a year or so before. Paul and I were lucky enough to get to help drive them up to Canada at that time so we were very excited to again drive the 17 hours for Colton's birth... no, really, we were very excited to make the beautiful drive and we arrived about 6 pm the night before Colton was born. Heidi was already experiencing labor pains but she was a trouper and went to dinner with us at our favorite Canadian restaurant, Earl's (after the Swapps moved back to AZ an Earl's restaurant opened in Scottsdale -- bonus!). During the night or early morning, Heidi & Eric took off for the hospital and we waited anxiously back at their little apartment for news of the arrival. The Drs. there don't (or didn't at that time) believe in epidurals but they kept promising Heidi that if she needed one, they'd for sure give her one. But as time went on and she was indeed feeling like she was ready for an epidural or maybe just a big hammer to the head to deal with the pain, they told her she was too far along so she'd just finish up naturally. Thankfully the other 4 kids have all been born in the US where she has enjoyed the blessing of modern medicine and mostly painfree births!

Anyway, back to Colton. We finally got the call about 10 am and we raced down to the hospital and met our darling new baby boy! What a thrill! So perfect in everyway!!! At about 23, 24 or so weeks along, Heidi actually was threatening to give birth early and it was very scary and then of course, she ended up going full term but he was totally worth the wait. He has been such a blessing and joy in all of our lives ever since!

Paul and I had intended to stay about 2 or 3 days and Heidi & Eric were moving back to Arizona within the week so things were very chaotic. I couldn't bring myself to leave this newest member of the family so Paul drove home by himself (straight through, I might add) and I stayed on to help them finish packing up and Heidi and I flew to Salt Lake and Eric drove to Salt Lake where they all stayed with us for a few days before driving on down to Phoenix.

Colton has always been a busy, busy little guy. The kind of kid that never sits still and has to be on the go 24/7. He was rollerblading at about 2 1/2 and skateboarding at about 3. I think he wasn't born with a gene for fear because he is not the least bit afraid of going faster, further or higher. Last summer he wanted me to go to the skateboard park to watch him and Cory skateboard but I couldn't bring myself to go watch... it is seriously so scary!! Even when I see pictures of him on that crazy ramp in China it makes my stomach drop. You should see him moto cross ride on his dirt bike... oh yea, scary. Heidi has these amazing photos of Colton flying off his bike ramp and sailing over Eric, Cory & Dakota (neighbor) who are laying underneath him on the ground. WOW -- Big Air!

As if being totally athletic wasn't enough, Colton has brains too. He is an excellent speller, a voracious reader and a quick mathematician. I think he has a whole lot of potential. Heidi says he is very interested in speaking Chinese and asks Eric all the time how to say things in Chinese.
He will probably come home fluent!

Last night Paul and I just happened to fire up the webcam and connect with Swapps just as Colton was opening his birthday presents (it was already Monday morning in China!). We got to sing Happy Birthday to him and share in those festivities. He got a rugby ball, a street basketball and new nets for the hoops. I heard Heidi say now he could take on the "guards" properly. I'm thinking those are the security guards at the compound where they are living and I'm pretty sure they are adults!

So here's to a special day and a special kid! We are really proud of him and appreciate that he is setting a good example for all the rest of the 7 grandkids to follow!