Dear Buddy,
So I have a secret to tell you.
In the days leading up to your eighth birthday, I have found myself staring at you, when I think you’re not looking. In those moments, I look in wonder and amazement at this boy – this young man – sitting in front of me, with his kind heart and creativity, intelligence and charm, wit and curiousity, and I wonder, How did I get so lucky to be his mom?
And how is he now 8 years old? EIGHT. Why does that seem so old to me?
I wonder if it’s because I feel like we’re in this strange sort of middle ground, somewhere between little boyhood and, well, boyhood.
Between being a kid who needed Mommy and Daddy to do everything … and a boy who is now perfectly capable of making his own breakfast and has no trouble making conversation with grown-ups and who knows how to work the TV better than I do.
Between being a little boy who, like all small children, is only concerned about themselves … and maturing to a thoughtful and sensitive young man who notices — and cares — about other people’s feelings and knows just when to offer a hug or say, “I’m sorry you’re having a bad day, Mom.”
Between needing to sleep with your beloved Papi bear at nighttime … and the nights when I find Papi laying alone, forgotten and discarded on the couch downstairs, hours after you’ve gone to bed.
Between being a boy who still likes Mommy and Daddy to read to him … and a big boy who prefers to read to himself (particularly his favorite dinosaur encyclopedias) and often volunteers to read Dr. Seuss to his little sister.
Between going to sleep without demanding a hug and a kiss … and the nights when we give each other Eskimo kisses and whisper our secret (and silly) “I love you” phrase that only makes sense to the two of us.
But even with all these changes, which are only inevitable as you grow up, there is one thing that remains constant and true: I love you and I am so very proud of you.
Happy birthday to the boy who made me a mom, who made us a family, and continues to steal my heart day after day. You bring such joy and laughter and wonder to my life.
Love,
Mom
Lisa deck says
Happy Birthday Buddy! I still remember meeting you at the Cheesecake Factory in DC :). Hope to catch up spon!
Lisa deck says
Happy Birthday Buddy! I still remember meeting you at the Cheesecake Factory in DC :). Hope to catch up soon!