Happy birthday, my dear Miles.

When I posted your happy birthday picture on Facebook a couple of days ago, on your true birthday, I stopped to think of a handful of adjectives to use to describe you.  One that came to mind was brave.  You’ve done all kinds of brave things lately.  Today after school is your first session with the sixth grade band (more on that shortly), and you’ve expressed nothing but excitement about that.  You stood up in front of a big group at a New Year’s Eve party and did a solo musical performance.  You’ve become confident and ready to handle all kinds of obstacles.

Photo by Denny

I just picked you up from your first sixth grade band rehearsal.  You were one of only two fifth graders invited to join the sixth grade band this semester from the entire east side (probably ten elementary schools).  Apparently the sixth grade band was short on low brass, and your teacher knew you were just the trombonist to fill the gap.  You’ve been excited about it ever since you found out, and it was the first thing you mentioned over breakfast this morning.  You were cheerful when I picked you up today, and you seem to have made friends with the other fifth grader (a euphonium player named Chris).

If I were in your position, I might have felt more nervous than excited, and I might have seriously considered declining the opportunity out of anxiety.  That’s why I’m so proud of your bravery, Miles.  I talked to you ahead of time about how the music would be more challenging, and if you couldn’t do it right away you shouldn’t consider that a failure.  I asked you in the car today if the music was hard, and you said yes.  “But I handled it,” you added.

This makes me so happy, since you were such a timid and fearful little boy.  In some ways that was nice, since you were risk-averse and I didn’t have to worry about you jumping off jungle gyms or other foolishness (unlike certain people who live at our house).  But I’m very glad that you’re becoming brave in ways unlikely to result in broken bones.

Possibly contradicting that pattern, you’re having a mini birthday party this Friday at the newly-opened trampoline park in town.  You’ve invited a couple of your good friends to come jump with you, and you’re really looking forward to it.  You’ve graciously agreed to include Tobin as well.  You’ve generally been pretty gracious with both your brothers lately.  It seems like you’re not usually involved in the fights I have to break up.  Most of the screaming I hear is not in your particular timbre.

Photo by Denny

This morning as you got ready for school, we did an assessment of your weekly music schedule.  Sunday you have Family Folk Machine, Monday is fifth grade band, Tuesday is Orff Club, Wednesday is sixth grade band and (starting next week) Mighty Hawk Singers, Thursday is piano lessons, and Friday is in-school trombone lesson.  Saturday is your only day without an organized music activity, so we decided we ought to have a family jam session on Saturdays.  It seems you’ve found your niche.

Of course you still enjoy your other favorites, reading and writing.  For your birthday, I got you a collection of The Far Side comics.  I think you’ll enjoy their slightly complex and irreverent style.  Also it’s one of those long-running comics with many collections available, which is good for gift-giving.

Your current favorites:  cherry candy canes, filming and editing YouTube videos, the long and complicated comics you write and draw, singing under your breath as you complete daily tasks, apple juice and Goldfish crackers (which would be both your breakfast and bedtime snack every day if we didn’t demand a little diversification, and chocolate birthday cake.

In just over a week, we’ll celebrate your birthday in a big way:  a trip to Universal Studios Orlando, with the primary goal of visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  Ever since we started reading the books (first aloud, then you took over and read them on your own) and watching the movies, I looked forward to your eleventh birthday.  Since Harry Potter’s eleventh birthday was when he got his initial acceptance letter to Hogwart’s, it seemed like the right time to make the pilgrimage.  I need to sew up a couple of holes in your Harry Potter robe, which is de rigeur park wear, because it’s gotten a little tattered since Aunt Suzy first bought it for you.  A fellow Potter-head, Aunt Suzy will be joining us, as will Mubby and Tobin.  I’m really excited to do something so special with you to celebrate not just this birthday, but to culminate years of reading and movie-watching and months of planning.

I’m so proud of you, Miles, and I know eleven is going to be a good year.  You’re not going to be my sweet little boy forever, but I’ll keep you while I can.  In the meantime, I’m collecting plenty of evidence.

Love,

Mom