Jack, eight is enough

Today, my Jack turned eight. To say where did the last eight years go is cliché but also very true. I am amazed at the transformation this little person has undergone before our eyes. He went from eating, sleeping and you know, I don’t need to say it, to this person we get to share our lives with. His maturity has grown leaps and bounds in the last couple of years. Gone are the tantrums he used to be prone to when his routine was upset. In their place is the ability to deal with these even though it still upsets him.

This year, for the boys’ birthdays we decided, after I read this post by by Zoe’s Dad’s Wife(Confused yet? Good, that’s how I like it.) about their birthday tradition with their kids, that we would do the same. Instead of buying them more toys, that which they really do not need, nor overly desire, we would spend an entire day with each of them, just Mommy and Daddy, doing whatever they wanted, within reason of course. Naturally we asked them first, to see if they would be okay with it. When we asked Jack we had to pick his jaw up off the floor. At first I thought, oh no, he is NOT okay with this….then he smiled the biggest smile I have ever seen him smile. He was more than okay with it, he was over the moon.

That day was this Saturday. Unfortunately, plans for Kamden fell through, his buddy, whom he was going to spend the day with, was sick. Jack was understandably a little upset at first. I explained that we could still have our day but that Kamden would have to tag along. He didn’t like that at first but after a few minutes he came to me quietly and said, “Mommy, Kamden should come with us today.”

Well if my heart didn’t swell.

To say it was a great day would be an understatement. Family days are always great. Jack chose to go to Pizza Hut for lunch and then swimming. Before we left I told him I would make him whatever he wanted for supper. He chose spaghetti and meatballs (easy peasy!).

We spent the morning with Hot Wheels Racetrack Central (see what I mean about not needing more toys, trust me, he ain’t deprived in the least), then headed off lunch and swimming. He had fun, we all did. Upon arriving home, he was pooped out from all the activity. I made supper while the boys hit the couch with Daddy and the pile of library books we also picked up while we were out. When supper was ready, Jack was first into the kitchen and was flabbergasted.

“Mommy, THANK you. This is the best.”

Do you know what it was that got this super reaction? It wasn’t the fact that he got to pick whatever he wanted to do. It wasn’t the pizza out for lunch. It wasn’t the swimming. It certainly wasn’t the unplanned trip to the library to kill time before the pool opened.

No.

It was the candles and wine glasses that I set out for dinner.


It’s the simple things, our time and a little extra touch just to let him know how special he really is.

I think maybe this boy of mine is teaching me more than I could ever teach him and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Happy 8th Birthday my sweet Jack!