Letter to My Son – Happy 8th Birthday!

Dear Nick,

I can’t believe you’re 8 years old today!  I still remember many vivid details from when you were born.  You were due to arrive on my birthday, and as fun as that would be, I really wanted you to have your own day.  The night of my birthday, your Dad made me Spaghetti Carbonara.  In the middle of the night, I woke up with terrible stomach cramps.  I momentarily forgot about being pregnant (as if!) and figured I might have had one too many pieces of crispy bacon (something you still love yourself).  Four hours later, the cramps were still there and I woke up your Dad.

I waited until 9 am to call the doctor and then packed my bag to go to the hospital.  I wasn’t one of those who had her bag packed weeks before.  Thank goodness you weren’t in any hurry to come!

There was an episode of Friends, where Rachel is pregnant, about to have her baby, and she’s in the hospital bed.  She’s waiting.  And waiting.  And waiting.  She hears people come in, have their baby, and leave.  And she’s still there.  That was me.  With you.  Twenty seven hours it took you to finally come, just enough to have your own special birthday, two days after mine.

And now here we are.  In another month, you’re going to enter third grade (third grade!!!), and a new school.  You’re excited, although just a eensy bit nervous, but I know you’ll do fine.  You are such a different kid than you were last year … less timid, way more outgoing.  You have come out of your shy shell so much that I’d really like to find just a few pieces of the shell to put back on!

I loved watching you sleep when you were a baby, and still love watching you sleep now.  Mouth wide open, softly snoring, sometimes having full conversations as if you’re wide awake, your little stomach going softly up and down.  Too cute!  Although I wouldn’t tell you that, because we’re at the age where you get embarrassed about such things.

LIKES:  iTouch, bothering your sister, loving your sister, your cousins, iCarly, skateboard sneakers, Heelys, Penne with Vodka sauce, music, swimming, salad, doing handstands under water, Silly Bandz (particularly the hard-to-find tie-dye ones) and art.

DISLIKES:  still most green vegetables, getting up in the morning, the dark, taking time to do anything slowly.

You are bright, funny, quirky and completely adorable, even if you think you are getting too old for some things.  You have a little bit of a mouth on you and come with a wallop of attitude, but we’re working on it.  You are helpful, considerate and kind and love being the man of the house.  You are a great big brother, and we’re so lucky to have you as part of our family.  It wouldn’t be the same without you.

xoxo

Mom

When he turned seven…

When he turned six…

When he turned five…

When he turned four…

When he turned three…

P.S.  No pictures tonight.  I usually add a picture (as you can see from the previous years’) of Nick wearing his Birthday Boy shirt.  The shirt he wore last year is too small now, and after two trips to the craft store, an hour of crafting and about twenty bucks, Nick decided he didn’t want to wear the new shirt.  Apparently he’s too old for such things now.  I get it, completely, but it makes me just a bit sad.  I’m not ready for him to be too old for things!  I do have a picture to add, when the laptop cooperates, hopefully tomorrow.

The reason he was most excited about turning 8 today?  He finally doesn’t have to sit in his booster seat.  The rule is 8 years old or 80 pounds.  He has been asking me, pretty steadily, for the past year and a half when he could stop using the booster seat.  Today was the big day!