Eight is great

Happy, happy birthday to our sweet summer surprise. How quickly you've gone from our Xavi-baby to a little guy and now my handsome young man.

In the last year, you've lost SIX teeth. 

You've become an amazing helper and you are a fabulous brother. 

You have a quick wit that leaves us in tears from laughing.  [Boy, oh boy, was I ever tempted to let you get that badass tattoo, if only I wouldn't end up with DFS at our door ;) ]

You are sensitive and kind beyond measure.  It makes my heart proud to know that your friends and teachers use the word kind when describing you.  

Your intelligence and extreme ability to retain information always blows me away.  You have developed my desire for perfection and have a hard time not having things done perfect the first time around. So this past year you've learned how to work through drafts and manage your time.  

You love spelling words and counting the number of letters in those words.  You recently mentioned that maybe you'd become an author and illustrator after college (I'm wondering if that is in addition to playing in the NFL and being a biologist).  My only request is you dedicate that first book and all that follow to me, your first and very favorite librarian.

You can now write in cursive and type. I sometimes forget that spelling a word aloud to daddy or writing a note in cursive is no longer a code you can't break.

You are ever taller... at last count you'd grown 3/4 inch since the school year ended. The endless summer sunshine not only gives you to-die-for highlights in your gorgeous, soft locks but now has you less than a foot shorter than me.  

As much as you've become the big 3rd grader, I love that every so often you still prefer to hold my hand, sit on my lap, or cuddle.  You know the secret to get something out of mom is 50 kisses and hugs. Now matter whether you are 8 or 18, I'll take it... 

All of this is to say just how very much I love you, yesterday, today, tomorrow, and always.  You will always be the very best thing that ever happened to me. 

Mama