Now you are Eight

Now you are Eight

Well here we are, 10th December 2017, the day your cousin turns Twenty One and now you are Eight.  Happy Birthday darling boy.  You make me laugh and smile every day and yes you do tend to drive me a little mad too, but I wouldn’t have you any other way.

Now you are Eight I just hope that the next year will be as awesome as the last.  Your seventh year has been really rather wonderful. We’ve done so many wonderful things together this year haven’t we.  You’ve tried a few new things, you’ve persevered when things have got tough and kept trying.

You’ve swam a few lengths of the pool in your school swimming lessons, your backstroke if rather awesome.  I wish your old swimming teacher could see you now!  You’ve joined in and won your races on Sports Day. Who would ever have thought that would happen. I’ve watched you overcome your fear and walk across the glass floor on the Tower Bridge walkway.  You’ve made more friends and are slowly, slowly letting more people in.

Travelling abroad with you this year has been an absolute dream, you were such good company.  You and helpful, kind and caring and also exceptionally stubborn.  Where that comes from I’ll never know.

Now you are Eight

In school you’ve tried so very hard, even when you really haven’t liked what you were doing.  You’ve said goodbye to your beloved Miss P and moved up into Year Three.  You’ve handled the change brilliantly and I’m so proud of you for that.  Big step forward. Now you are Eight, you will see Miss W move on to Year Six, whilst you have Miss B, something I know you’re happy with.  I look forward to seeing your relationship with her grow and seeing what you can achieve in the rest of the academic year.

People have seen your confidence grow and more of them have seen your chatty self.  The side of you so few have seen before. I watched as earlier in the week, two of your friends came round before your bowling party, and you were so full of chat.  You shared your toys willingly and without conflict.  A big change. You shared space in your Dad’s car and had so much fun with friends who didn’t know each other.

You’re still a sore loser, but I’m proud that you kept that inside until you got home.  There’s a lesson to be learned that the birthday boy doesn’t get a veto to win the bowling match.  You have to practice and win on merit alone. Accepting that it’s the taking part that is the most fun is a tough one, and something we’ll continue to work on.

No quiet shy boy though when you’re with your friends.  It’s wonderful to watch, even if my ears are ringing at the end of it.

Now you are Eight

Tomorrow you become a Cub.  Another big step for you.  I know you’re a little nervous about the move, but I also know that some of it is purely for my benefit.  Listening to you telling your best friend all about Cubs and Beavers earlier in the week, I know that you’ll be fine.  The next step will be to get you on a Cub Camp sleepover.

You’ll be experiencing Panto for the first time now you are Eight.  You love the theatre, way more than cinema, but I’ve always been worried that Panto would be a little too loud for you.  I think you’re ready for it now.   I hope you love it, I really do.

You’re already so excited about going to Portugal on holiday next year and that Granny and Gramps are driving over to see us too.  I can’t wait to see you showing off your swimming to them in the hotel pool.

What do I wish for you, now you are Eight?  I wish that your confidence continues to grow, that you continue to let more people in and share your thoughts more willingly.  I hope that you’ll pick a book up, any book up, and enjoy reading.  My heart would burst to see that happening.  I’d love to see your adventurous side grow even if it leads to me having my heart in my mouth.  Let go, trust and try it.  Say yes to new experiences, rather than automatically saying no.  Trust people a little bit more.

Now you are Eight

I’d love for you to be a little bit quieter at home, but then I guess I was worried a few years ago that you weren’t talking enough.  I love the talking, just not the volume.  I’m getting old you know.

But most of all my lovely, cheeky boy, I just want you to be happy.  To keep being the really lovable boy you are.  To keep telling your friends, that yes you do hold your Mummy’s hand, and that you think that is fine.  You don’t care what others think of you and I see that as a good quality.  You aren’t a sheep, ready to follow others whatever.  You know your own mind, you follow your own path.

Happy Eighth Birthday my darling boy.  Mummy loves you to the moon and back and beyond, and she always will.  She’d love you even more than that if you’d get ready for school tomorrow without any nagging!

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