Happy 9th birthday, my sweetheart!

You are such a kind, loving kid. Every day, you tell me something sweet and appreciative, like, “Thank you for making dinner for us every night” or congratulating me on my efforts on a video game, even when I fail. When I tuck you in at night, you tell me you’ll miss me. You’re doing great in school, and you even got to celebrate on your true birthday with your class. The school district has stricter rules about snacks than they used to, so no cookies or cupcakes, but you were excited to share popcorn and juice pouches with your classmates.

As a matter of fact, you only had school two days that week. We had a huge snowstorm followed by a big snowstorm, and now we’re deep into sub-zero temperatures. It’s been almost like an extra-long winter break, punctuated by two school days. Monday and Thursday are your favorite school days anyway, because they’re the days you have ELP, so you got lucky by having those as your only school days of the week.

Your interest in recreational reading has really jumped lately. You’ve been wanting to read long, complicated books on your own. Sometimes you even choose to read to yourself at bedtime rather than have me read to you. You got a book for Christmas, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, and you got through it so quickly that you were ready for the sequel several days before your birthday. There’s no way you’re going to be able to wait until the next holiday for the third book in the series, so I guess we’ll be getting it as a “just because” kind of gift. I can’t say no to a kid who really wants to read a good, challenging book.

When I do read aloud to you at bedtime, you often make astute observations. We may have finally exhausted the Humphrey series (thank goodness–they’re nice books, but I think we’ve been through the entire series twice now, and I’m ready to move on). Lately we’ve been reading The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies, and you quickly picked up on the way the author alternates between the perspectives of the two main characters. There’s also a lot of math in the book, and you’ve been anticipating the answers to the problems posed before the text addresses them.

You’re getting more independent, though. You love to pour your own beverages, even when the pitcher is really full. We haven’t had any serious disasters yet, so I guess you’re getting the hang of it. Your dad doesn’t like it, but you’ve proven more than once that an entire can of soda will fit into your favorite wine glass.

Health-wise, you seem to be doing well. The recent inclement weather has caused a delay in getting some of your supplements, but all your levels were good at your last appointment, so you’re probably not going get too thrown off track by missing a couple of days of Flintstones multivitamins. We’re fine on your supply of Humira, and you’ve been doing a wonderful job handling getting your shots. We have a whole routine worked out: you ice your leg in the spot where your dad is going to give you the shot, then you pinch yourself on the other leg as a distraction. There’s a TikTok video of funny dogs that you like, so as soon as your dad puts the needle in, I push play and you watch the dogs. The last couple of times, Tobin has asked to watch. I think he’s impressed by your bravery. It’s easy for us to think of you as the baby and treat you as such, so it’s good for you to be in a position to show off how mature you are.

We had a fun holiday season, a nice mix of busy and relaxed. We saw lots of different family members (though Uncle Mark’s cats didn’t show up enough for your liking), played games, ate a lot of treats, and watched a few movies. We went to the movie theater to see Wonka, and you really liked the recliner-style seats at the movie theater in Ames. You’re a good traveler, and I never feel like I have to worry about how you’ll handle road trips. You’re getting very excited for our spring break trip to the Keys. You and Tobin have agreed that you like the whole process, from staying in an airport hotel the night before to walking around the airport to flying to picking up the rental car to driving down to the Keys. It’s a process, and sometimes it’s a frustrating one, so I’m glad you’re going into it with a good attitude.

Your current favorites: steak frites, chicken wings, lemon poppyseed muffins, ribs, reading, YouTube, not wearing a shirt, dancing, cuddling at bedtime, and playing with your school friends. You’ve had a couple of playdates with a classmate who lives right down the street from us, so I hope you can continue to connect with him. You’re fun and have a lot to offer.

I love you so much, my big kid. It’s hard to believe that I’ve only known you nine years, and yet I can’t believe you’re most of a decade old. You’re one of the great joys of my heart, and I’m so, so grateful to have you.

Love,

Mom