Ten

Dear Bailey, 

You are ten today!  Ten years old!  In honor of your tenth birthday I decided to list 10 of my favorite things about you.  Today is all about you, but you have to know that you being ten is really big for me too.  It is a whole decade and a whole decade ago you started teaching me how to be a mother.  It’s the best job I’ll ever have.  And, because you wanted to make sure I was ready for your sister, you did an extra good job of it.  You made sure that my job wouldn’t be a piece of cake and that if I wanted to be one step ahead of you, I needed to always be on top of my game.  For that, I am grateful.  Sometimes I am tired, but I am always grateful.  I have learned to be patient, learned to have empathy, and learned that even though I don’t like to discipline you, it is what you need sometimes.  You, my friend, are one good boy.  You are one great kid and I am beyond lucky to be your mother.  So here goes:

1. You are honest.  Yep.  You tell on yourself before I would even have a chance to know.  People always know where they stand with you and you can see right through a faker almost as fast as I can.  You have been sizing people up since you could sit up in a grocery cart and your instincts are usually right.
2. You are thoughtful.  You always remember to remember.  If I forget a date or a birthday or what someone, likes, you know.  You remind me to do things for friends and for family and you remind me of the little things I said I would do.  You remember to get your sister gum if I buy you some and you hold me accountable to making everything fair.  Your memory is better than anyone I know - I love when you tell me things that you remember when you were little because it reminds me to pay more attention and that you are always paying attention.
3. You are funny.  I love your sense of humor.  You are especially good at impressions and can repeat movie lines and scenes word for word.  You use one-liners so well that it makes me proud to be your mom.  It’s even funnier when you get so tickled at your own jokes that you have a hard time telling them. 
4. You get the details.  While most people are diving in head first, you dip one toe in at a time and take it all in.  This quality in you has made me learn to slow down in life and look at the things that I might not have seen, like the eyes of a frog, the stripes on a lizard, and the emblems on every car that passes.  It has always been hard to impress you especially with big things or big events.  I can tell you are excited when you are completely silent, soaking it all in and later when it’s all over, you have more to tell than anyone else.
5. You are persistent.  You absolutely refuse to give up on whatever it is no matter how long it takes or how frustrated you become.  This worked well for your daddy when I gave him a hard time once and it will hopefully work well for you too.  It will also make victory that much sweeter.
6. You are responsible.  I can count on you to get it done, especially if it’s something important or something to remember.  You always make sure your sister is safe and watch out for her probably a little more than she would like, but that’s okay with me.  We all know she needs an extra set of eyes on her sometimes.
7. You are creative.  I am amazed at the things you can think, build, draw, and create.  You have great ideas and it’s fun to watch those little wheels in your brain turn when you are thinking.
8. You know stuff and you teach me stuff.  In the last 10 years, I’ve learned more about trains, bugs, reptiles, dinosaurs, Star Wars, rescue dogs, foreign cars, and other subjects than I ever dreamed.  I love learning about them because you do.  You also know how to work my phone better than I do and I even had to get you out of class one day to fix something on it.  You also teach me perseverance, patience, empathy, and compassion.
9. You are loving.  You are not too old or cool to hug your mama, well maybe in public, but otherwise I can get all the hugs I want.
10. You are good.  You are a just a good boy with a good soul.  You don’t pretend to be something you are not, and you let me know when I don’t get it right but you love me anyway.  And, I love you back.  

You are 10, and you are awesome! 

Happy Birthday, Bailey! 

        

Oscar

Age 10

First 5K

Age 3