Dear 8 year old boy of mine...

Tomorrow our oldest turns 8.
E-I-G-H-T!!!!
Where has the time gone?
Seriously I feel like I blinked my eyes and in a flash he's almost double digits.
Making the decision to have children early in life, hasn't always been easy.
Making the decision to have 3 children in 4 years, hasn't always been a walk in the park...in fact most days I look around at all of the messes, the fighting, the piles of laundry, and dirty bathrooms and I think to myself, "what the heck was I thinking?!"
Making the decision to pour all of who we are, to shape and influence our children, and raise up our 3 boys to be men...that is what makes it all worth it!
 I couldn't decide exactly how I wanted to get my feelings out on our first born turning 8 and then it hit me...
I should write a letter to him.
Something he can look back on one day and know that, if nothing else, exactly how loved he is and always has been.
Something that would give him a tiny peek into his life at just 8 years old .
A letter that reassures him that even though we may not have always seen eye to eye I truly did always want the best for him.
So here it goes...

Dear 8 year old boy of mine,

Do you know how much we love you? We love you to the moon and back!
I can remember the day you were born like it was yesterday.
Mommy had two very special people with her in the delivery room-Daddy and Kristie.
Your whole ENTIRE family was patiently waiting outside for you to be born...
and the moment you were, you instantly sealed our two families together as one.
You are the one special little person who made me a momma.
8 years later you have lost 6 teeth.
You enjoy playing baseball, basketball, and video games.
Your biggest obsession at 8 years old is WWE.
You know all of the characters names, their story lines, and their rivalries.
You still believe in Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny- and I secretly hope you do for a little while longer.
You are certainly an outgoing, people person who is not afraid to try new things, and you are always the life of the party-in fact you never want them to stop!
You are a party animal :)
You have this voice. A loud, resounding, boisterous voice. A voice I sometimes wish would learn to speak quieter and too often I have a tendency to hush...but I know you were given that voice for a reason.
I hope someday you find that reason.
You recently had your first sleepover and I think it was much easier for you than it was for me!
You have always been and continue to be our most independent child-a skill that will lead you far in life, but for now I have to remind you that you are not as old as you may think.
I admire the amount of self confidence you have at your age...nothing and no one can stop you...
Yet at the same time I love seeing how gentle and caring you are with your brothers-when you WANT to be of course!
And as far as other people's opinions are concerned you already know who's opinion matters and how to let the others roll off your back.
You have a genuine love for your entire family and I can see the way your eyes light up when there's a family gathering.
I admire the way you are able to mentor your younger brothers, always and forever sticking up for them and showing them the way to do things.
You also do the same for your friends.
You know right from wrong, and while at only 8 years old you don't always make the right decision at the end of the day you make your rounds and say your apologies.
The relationship you have with your youngest brother Aaron is unlike anything I have ever witnessed and is the exact reason I knew I wanted a big family!
I know a day will come when you will no longer want to be called "baby angel" but for now you still like it and so does my momma heart.
 Every single night when daddy comes home from work he still walks in and checks on you and your brothers.
He makes sure to cover you back up with your favorite Mario Kart Blanket.
Your room is also blue and covered in Super Mario Brothers :)
Your favorite foods are: chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, and McDonalds.
You also inherited your sweet tooth from me!
While it hasn't always been the case, you are my pickiest eater...in fact I have had to re-name certain foods just to get you to eat them! When you are in college and find out "noodles" are and always have been called Spaghetti by everyone else I am sure I will be getting a phone call from you!
As the oldest of three I do hold you to a higher standard than your brothers, and I am sorry if you feel that is sometimes unfair, but I truly do want the best for you and I know that you have capabilities beyond anything we could ever imagine.
 I want to make sure I am molding and shaping you into the very best person you can be.
Someone your future wife will be thankful for.
You are smart...so,so smart! You are in second grade and Mrs. Silver is your teacher.
While English and reading haven't always been your favorite, or easiest subjects, I can tell the steady progress you are making and seeing you grow to have a love for reading and finishing chapter books just warms my heart!

When it comes to math you are basically a whiz-you must get that from your Daddy!
You can add, and subtract numbers in your head, solve word problems, and are steadily working on multiplication and division.
You are learning and growing by leaps and bounds.
You weigh 58 pounds, half my height and are officially out of a car seat of any kind!
While I don't know exactly what the future holds for you, I know what I wish for you:
I wish that you will always stay true to who you are...
I wish that you will do whatever it is that speaks to you.
I hope that you never settle.
I wish that you will fulfill every single dream you have, even if those dreams may take you far away from me.
I wish that you will always hold onto a tiny bit of your innocence because that too makes you who you are.
But most of all, and more than anything, I wish you all the happiness in the world!
As a momma nothing makes my heart pitter-patter more than hearing your laugh, seeing your face light up, and the genuineness of your soul.
You have got a great, great soul.

Thank you for allowing me to call you mine.
Love,
Your momma