8 is great

This is Charlie on his 8th birthday, which was this week.

He is happy, charming, smart and has the sweetest dimpled smile.

I would use the words reasonable, cooperative, kind, and generous to describe him now.

He has always been my most curious child. We had locks on everything when he was three-the fridge, the pantry, his bedroom, the microwave, an extra one on the front door.

All of these he eventually figured out. Tenacious, curious and much smarter than me, I would say.

I used to wonder what he was going to be like as he got older, if he would ever move past the escapee phase. But not wanting his generous hugs and kisses to ever be a thing of the past. Loving his ability to figure things out, and to surprise me with his willingness to learn and love others.

As he blew out his candles on his Diary of a Wimpy Kid cake (it's a book, extremely popular with the 2nd and 3rd grade boys), I felt a shift in the cosmos, as if a new chapter was beginning in Charlie's life, as if 8 will be the magic number for my son.

One where he is a Cub Scout and a good example for his younger brother and sisters, one where he knows who he is as a son of God, and one where we couldn't be more proud of our boy. Our Charlie.

Happy Birthday Charlie boy.