Can you believe this boy is eight?! Eight years ago it was not snowing. Eight years ago I weighed 40 pounds more than I do right now. Eight years ago I was an "expecting mother." Eight years ago, I had no idea what was in store for me. Would I exchange my last eight years for anything? Not a chance.
Today my first-born son is 8 years old! He is the brightest, most tenacious, corniest, weirdest, most creative S I know!
We began the day with me bursting in the house from a 4 mile run in the snow singing "I like my birthdays every one! Each brings a greater joy to me!" and waking up my still-slumbering boys. Grandma and Grandpa Kim called to sing "Happy Birthday" on speaker phone -- complete with harmony at the end -- to my sons' delights. S was presented with the traditional plate of "8" shaped cookies on and hot chocolate in the "You Are Special Today" plate and cup. (I fed him waffles too.) This morning I made the cake (giant chocolate cupcake with white frosting and m&m sprinkles), wrapped 4 boxes of gifts from G & G Kim, and filled treat bags. We are heading to
Jumpin' Jacks for S's first ever "friend party" and couldn't be more excited about it! This is a big birthday, folks! Tomorrow my little S is going to be baptized a member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I love this birthday!
We love S! We love...
...his love of music -- singing, piano, tapping rhythmically on any surface with heel-of-hand thumps and fingernail thrumming.
...his love of books. He's reading "The Hobbit" right now. When I see him curled up on the brown chair immersed in
Tolkien, I can't help but think, with a rush of pride, "That boy is
so my kid."
...his love of all things Korean. He feels the need to share his (sort of) cultural heritage with his friends, although, mercifully, he chose the Airheads as his class birthday treat instead of the roasted seaweed that he'll eat by the sheet at home.
...his love of order. From the time he was 1 and lining up all of the matchbox cars up till now, when he came in my room the other day and sternly told me that I had folded his pants wrong
and put them in the wrong place in his drawer, his mind has had to be very well-ordered. I bet the inside of his head would look an impeccably clean library.
...his love of his brothers. Don't get me wrong -- my wild little monkeys fight
a lot, but they care for each other, help each other, and play together sweetly too. H lately has been tackling S -- jumping on him and rolling around with him on the floor. S just laughs and says, "H is so cute, Mom!"
...his love of learning. If a subject interests S, he will research it, take notes, and put together a chart, graph, or paper for me to read. Recently, he made a list of Roman gods, the corresponding Greek gods, their roles, and relations to each other. He's moved on to learning all he can about horses and will next tackle South Korea.
We love our S so much! We are so thankful for 8 incredible years with this boy!
(I will post pictures of the party and baptism as they occur, as well as finish up our
Moab vacation.)
