Anthony is EIGHT

Doesn't eight sound so...big? How can it be that he is eight? I know I say this every year - but it's true. He is growing up so fast, and there's nothing I can do to stop it!

So, here goes.

Dear Anthony,

Eight years ago you changed my world. You've changed it every day since then, too.



You are a rational and dependable child. You don't like to break the rules too often, and when you do you really feel bad about it. If you think a rule isn't fair, you talk to me about it and discuss it. It amazes me to see how analytical you already are.



And yet, you are still a young boy. A young boy who likes to stand on the toilet seat at school to make his friends laugh, and then is confused when he gets in trouble for it. All you wanted to do was see your friends laugh, you weren't hurting anyone. It's funny to me, how smart you can be most of the time, but then sometimes can't see the rationale behind something.



You loves:
1. Star Wars. Good, Lord, George Lucas has nothing on you when it comes to Star Wars. I imagine he could learn a thing or two from you! You love the movies, TV show, books, toys, Legos...you have sheets, t-shirts, a costume. It's almost as strong as your obsession with dinosaurs was (almost...).



2. Legos. And it doesn't just have to be Star Wars. You LOVE Legos. You love to follow the instruction manual to put together a kit. But you also use any miscellaneous pieces to just build something.



3. Benjamin. You love to show him things, tell him things, teach him things. It doesn't matter to you that at three he probably won't absorb the math...you want to teach it to him. You're the one who helps him with his alphabet, or who shows him how his toys work. You constantly are thinking about him. You gave him the small toy lion you got after completing swim practice last week just because you know he loves lions. I could tell you wanted that toy, but you knew he would get so much enjoyment out of it. And he has. He has slept with it, played with it, and introduced it to his other lions.



4. School. You love to go to school. Your friends are there, you love your teacher, and you love coming home to share whatever new things you've learned at school. You are in the advanced math and reading groups, and are excelling at it all. You absorb things like a sponge, so it doesn't surprise me.



5. Mama and Daddy. You still love to give hugs and tell us you love us. You love that Daddy is your Cub Scout leader for Boy Scouts. You have a great time with him, and are so proud that he is the leader. You still love to snuggle with me, and will bring me a book (Harry Potter, right now!) for me to read to you. I get random hugs throughout the day, and I love it.



You are an amazingly sweet boy, Anthony. I can't wait to see how you take all of these wonderful pieces of who you are now, and turn them into the man I can see you becoming.



Happy Birthday!



Love, Mama