Oh my Caleb,
Eight! Eight is halfway to sixteen. Double your life span and you'll be starting to drive!
Because I see you every day, it's hard to notice the changes sometimes. But when I look back at photos of you from a year ago, you seem so much older. Eight. Eight means you will start third grade in the fall. Eight is the year you will move from the Primary School to the Intermediate School. Moving to your next school makes it seems like you are really growing up! Here are your first and last day of school pics from 2nd grade:
You are still crazy about reading...
and sugar...
and sports.
You
are playing baseball again, but in a different league. This season is
definitely more serious than your last two. They actually keep track of
strikes and outs and runs. And it seems like you were ready for the
challenge! It's cool to see you be stretched a bit and tackle the challenge with apparent ease.
These days it seems you
are more daring...challenging yourself in new ways. Yet there remains a
degree of cautiousness in you that will hopefully continue to keep you out
of the emergency room! You did have your first "major" injury this
year. You chipped your front tooth on the playground at school. You
were running forward while looking back at a friend. When you turned
around again...BAM! You hit your tooth on a pole. This was the
result...
Arcades are one of your favorite places to be these days. If you get to choose a special place to go, your first choice is usually a place that has arcade game. Thanks to a somewhat rainy vacation in NC this summer, you got to go to one with your cousins!
You are a sweet big brother. Your sister adores you, and loves having you around. She is thoroughly enjoying your summer break because it means more time with you. Of course, you have your share of squabbles, but you really do like having each other.
You are super sweet to your baby brother, though you also like to annoy him from time to time.
You like to be silly, and especially like having an audience for your silliness, which your siblings are usually happy to provide.
This year you participated in the Science Fair for the first time. It was A LOT of work, but you got 1st place in your division!
You also had a piece in the school art show. Okay, every student had a piece in the show, but I really liked yours!
You did a Wax Museum project, which involved learning all about a famous historical person and then dressing up as that person and reciting a speech about "yourself" at the Night of the Wax Museum. You were John Glenn, who you had recently learned has some ties to your relatives and was almost distantly related to you! You did an amazing job.
We celebrated your 8th birthday with a Ninjago party at a local parkour gym. It was lots of fun!
This year had its struggles, but through them I have
learned more about you and more about myself. Since before you
were born, you have stretched me and challenged me. I am on a constant
journey toward becoming the best mama I can be to you. This year has
led me to understand you better and treasure you more than ever. It has also helped me to realize that I haven't tried to really know and understand you
as much as I want to. I know that these years will be fleeting, and I know that you feel loved when you get to spend quality time with me. I need to take advantage of that for as long as I can!
Caleb, you are sweet, creative, funny, athletic and incredibly smart. I am so thankful that I get to watch you grow into the awesome young man that you are becoming. I have a feeling that year nine is going to be a good one!
Love always and forever,
Mama
