Close to 9

KC is less than a month away from turning 9.  I think this boggles his mind as much as it does mine!  He is a kid who seems to take big developmental leaps right before a birthday.  Yesterday the training wheels came off his bike and he proudly and flawlessly showed me his two wheeled prowess when I came home from work.  In all honesty he had the skills last year but not the confidence.  This year, he is ready and proud of it.

Still creeping into my bed at night when he has bad dreams, but yet looking ahead to being in the church coming of age program in a couple years and reminding me that some day he will be in the youth group just like Robbie. . . great goddess the time flies.

My mom commented on how much more grown up he seemed when she was down this weekend.  She asked what he wanted for his birthday and he had very specific art supplies in mind.  He knew exactly what to tell her and she was grateful. My mom hates shopping as do I.

Yet there is still a little kid part of him that I am happy still exists.  He is still a magical thinker--the Easter bunny, Santa, the leprecauns, are all still hugely important to him.  And he is adament that they exist.  I am grateful that we homeschool and that he is able to believe as long as he wishes to.  I am always reminded of the story "The Polar Express" and the bell that only the boy in the story hears.  And there is a part of him that is fey-it isn't hard to picture him as a gift from the faerie folk!

He also has been less resistant to trying new foods in the past few months.  I won't make meals a battle, but I will require that he try a spoonful--literally a teaspoon--of a dish.  If there are 2 things he does not like, he can choose one to try.  I had to eat liver when I was a kid, and lima bean casserole. I remember sitting in front of a plate that I despised.  I won't do that. So we compromise and recently he discovered he liked roasted potatos and a new macaroni and cheese recipe that we tried last night was in his words much less disgusting.  I suppose that is praise??


He has a hugely big heart and is also one who is the life of a party--instinctively drawing people in and thinking of ways for them to all have fun together.   I can't wait to celebrate his 9th birthday April 17th!