home

Nine Years Old

Dear Tad,

I have been hearing and talking about your ninth birthday for a few weeks now, and it blows me away to think that you are really, truly, nine years old today.  So much has happened in just one year.

And I know you hate change.  You crave the stability and predictability of your carefully scheduled life.  We’ve pushed you a bit in this last year – sometimes intentionally, sometimes not – but even though your apple cart might have gotten upset, we either find a way to make it work in a way you can be happy with (like having a long-term substitute teacher this last school year) or discover a way to help you cope with it until it can be over (like spending the night at someone else’s house – only if you can be in the same room as Mom and Dad).  But even as you want to become more rigid in some ways, and we keep pushing you, you amaze us in others.   Your loves and passions can be expanded or narrowly-focused.  You can be pretty accommodating sometimes when it comes to letting other people choose before you.  (It doesn’t hurt that your interests have rubbed off on your younger brother, either.)

Academically, you continue to gain ground with sheer determination.  Your reading skills continue to improve, your math work shows significant improvement, and socially you are becoming much more aware of social norms and polite behaviors.  Every time I wonder if we have reached the limit of what you can achieve, you just go ahead and show me that there are no limits to you.  There are some things you have no interest in doing, and that I would never expect you to do – but then you completely surprise me somewhere else in life.  And you are acquiring some things that are not teachable – like a sense of humor.  I am so glad that we can laugh together at the funny side of things – even though it might be just slapstick or a funny cat video.  I love hearing you laugh.

Never be afraid to try something new, Tad.  Never be afraid to learn a new way of doing things.  I know you – once you figure out one way to do something, you’ll do it that way forever.  Please try to keep an open mind and keep pushing your limits.

You are so loved, Tad.  No matter what they may or may not say, your sister and brothers love you.  And I know you love them back.  Your Dad and I love you so much – you thrill us, exasperate us, surprise us and enchant us every single day.

Tad, at the shark tank

Happy 9th birthday, my budding paleontologist!

Love,
Mom

One Response to “Nine Years Old”

  1. Ressis
    August 12th, 2014 03:22
    1

    Happy birthday, Tad! I miss you!