Happy 8th Birthday, Griffin!

Today you are EIGHT years old! The day you were born seems like it was yesterday, but here were are, and you are eight. Eight years ago you made us parents, and our lives changed for the better :) Eight seems way too old, but I am happy to report that you still like to cuddle. You won't hold my hand when we are in public, but you will still cuddle:)


At eight, I truly believe you are wise beyond your years. You are kind and considerate, and you often think about others before yourself. While you are definitely still a child in many ways, you continually amaze me with some of your grown up choices, questions, and actions. To be honest, you still teach me a thing or two about loving others.

Last year for your birthday, you asked for a Nintendo DS. We said no, but we told you that you could start saving up for one, and perhaps we would help pay for part of it around Christmas or your next birthday. You were set on saving up money, so you started to keep money you received for your birthday, holidays, and extra chores. Around Christmas, we convinced you that perhaps you should save up for an iPad mini instead. Slowly but surely your savings grew. It was hard to be at Target sometimes; you knew you had money to spend, but you also knew that you needed money to buy such a big ticket item. This was why I was so impressed with you a few weeks ago when you decided to donate half of your earnings from dog walking to World Vision. Had you kept your money, you would have reached your goal the first week of walking Pookie. However, the minute you realized you had enough money to provide a kiddo with water for life, you didn't hesitate. Like I said, I could learn a few things from you :)

I am pleased to tell the world that you are still continuing with running and tennis. Just today, we did both! Now that you are a bit older, I think that I will allow you to run a bit more than I have in the past. To date, your fasted mile was a 7:56, and you ran a fairly fast half mile today to win your kid's race. Tennis is the other love of your life, and you would play every day if we let you. Despite the fact that you are just turning eight, you continue to play with 9 and 10 year-olds, and you hold your own. After spending time in Fargo this summer, you have also decided to check out soccer. I think you will succeed at it because of your love of running, but who knows. You asked for soccer clothing for you birthday from family, so soccer will be a part of your life for at least a little bit. Daddy and I think you will be some sort of coach or trainer when you are older. You love doing T25, and earlier today you were running up and down our stairs to "get exercise!" You are still ridiculously competitive with anything you do, and it makes me smile!

We are currently reading the third Harry Potter book, and we hope to finish before you start THIRD grade!!! You haven't been as interested in reading this summer as you normally are, but I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that we have had the BEST SUMMER EVER! We are rarely home and always on the go completing our 2014 Summer Bucket List.  You still read more than most your age, you love to have reading dates at Barnes and Noble,
and you are grade levels ahead of your peers, so I am not worried. We did play Monopoly for the first time this summer, and at one point, we played three games in seven days! Did I clarify that they were FULL games!!! But you loved playing banker, and I loved that you were practicing math. You helped me set up my classroom this week, and you were VERY interested in how I run my room. Perhaps one day you will be a teacher!

One of my favorite things about being a mom is watching you and your brother play and interact. I am always amazed at how quickly you can push each other's buttons, but you truly care for one another. Just last week we were talking about your birthday and possible gifts, and you proceeded to tell me that I already gave you the best gift. I looked at you quizzically, and you replied, "Grayson." My heart melted. Seriously, it was like a scene from a movie.

Today is going to be a great day, little man! We look forward to crab legs (your request) and Mini bundt cakes, and I can't wait to spend time together just the two of us while Grayson is at preschool. I love celebrating the incredible kiddo you are!