more fun to buy at Target
than wrapping paper?
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
11 Reasons I Love and Like my 11-year-old
1. He still thinks I'm funny. Not all the time, but sometimes, he can't help but laugh at my jokes.
2. He works hard. He does his homework and practices his trumpet and takes baseball coaching by actually changing his stance/swing/throwing. He can start a task and stick with it until it's done.
3. He's so sweet with smaller kids. He showers most of that sweetness on his brother, but he loves all babies, and he loves leading younger kids in games and adventures.
4. He has few secrets (I think). I'll just choose to believe this one for as long as I can.
5. He's affectionate with everyone in his family. He may be more shy than he used to about showing affection to his parents in public, but he loves our nuclear family and his extended family, and he's quick with a hug, a back scratch, a pat or a tug.
6. You know where you stand with him. He's a straight shooter. I think his honesty comes from how confident and sure of himself he is - more qualities that will stand him in good stead.
7. He's so game and enthusiastic. He jumps in with two feet and likes going new places and learning new things.
8. He's a big sports fan. I'd love him regardless, but it makes it easier that we share that. One particular thing about his sports fandom is how quickly he forms a loyalty to a team he's rooting for. We went to one baseball game in Korea, and he's a huge Doosan Bears fan. He's always loved Robert Morris basketball, and he likes the major league teams for which his little league teams are named. He never watches a game without choosing a team to root for by some criteria and then sticking to that. He loves wins and takes losses hard and knows his stuff. We found out at the end of fifth grade that he'd been giving Monday morning Pirates updates at his school's morning assembly for two months.
9. His new friend receptors are always open. He only has friends and friends he hasn't met yet. We worried not at all about leaving him at a summer camp where he knew zero campers and zero counselors. He jumped right in, and we figured he'd be mayor by the end of the week. (Turns out, that camp doesn't have a mayor. But if it did...)
10. He takes serious things seriously: schoolwork, injustice, his faith.
11. He's so cute. Awkward phase shmawkward phase. Unless it's still coming, which it probably is. But even then, this kid will still be cute.
With love for my Charlie Barley.
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| A happy boy and his birthday tacos. |
2. He works hard. He does his homework and practices his trumpet and takes baseball coaching by actually changing his stance/swing/throwing. He can start a task and stick with it until it's done.
3. He's so sweet with smaller kids. He showers most of that sweetness on his brother, but he loves all babies, and he loves leading younger kids in games and adventures.
4. He has few secrets (I think). I'll just choose to believe this one for as long as I can.
5. He's affectionate with everyone in his family. He may be more shy than he used to about showing affection to his parents in public, but he loves our nuclear family and his extended family, and he's quick with a hug, a back scratch, a pat or a tug.
6. You know where you stand with him. He's a straight shooter. I think his honesty comes from how confident and sure of himself he is - more qualities that will stand him in good stead.
7. He's so game and enthusiastic. He jumps in with two feet and likes going new places and learning new things.
8. He's a big sports fan. I'd love him regardless, but it makes it easier that we share that. One particular thing about his sports fandom is how quickly he forms a loyalty to a team he's rooting for. We went to one baseball game in Korea, and he's a huge Doosan Bears fan. He's always loved Robert Morris basketball, and he likes the major league teams for which his little league teams are named. He never watches a game without choosing a team to root for by some criteria and then sticking to that. He loves wins and takes losses hard and knows his stuff. We found out at the end of fifth grade that he'd been giving Monday morning Pirates updates at his school's morning assembly for two months.
9. His new friend receptors are always open. He only has friends and friends he hasn't met yet. We worried not at all about leaving him at a summer camp where he knew zero campers and zero counselors. He jumped right in, and we figured he'd be mayor by the end of the week. (Turns out, that camp doesn't have a mayor. But if it did...)
10. He takes serious things seriously: schoolwork, injustice, his faith.
11. He's so cute. Awkward phase shmawkward phase. Unless it's still coming, which it probably is. But even then, this kid will still be cute.
With love for my Charlie Barley.