Eleven.

Eleven.  Today you are eleven!  

As I write this, I remember the cold January eleven years ago when I couldn’t wait to meet you.  I couldn’t wait to see what you looked like and to hold you in my arms.  You made me wait an extra week so I started learning to be patient really early with you - one of the best things you could teach me.

I am so proud of who you are and who I see you becoming.  This is your last year of elementary school.  I realized that this summer when you were standing in front of the school releasing Nana’s birthday balloons and it made me both happy and sad.  Next year you will go to middle school and it will be full of new and exciting adventures and more independence.  I will learn a lot more about how to be your mother.

This year, I have watched you become more responsible.  You set goals for yourself and work really hard to meet them.  You saved all of your money this year from birthdays, Christmas, leaf raking, and pulled teeth, to buy nice sunglasses and now an iPad which is awesome!  You are much more responsible with your schoolwork this year too.  And, even though you and I have spent hours studying and researching for your social studies projects on Abraham Lincoln and World War I, I wouldn’t trade my time with you for anything in the world.  I love to watch you succeed because it drives you to set higher goals for yourself and helps you have confidence that you can meet your goals.  I  know you get frustrated sometimes but it is always because you expect more for yourself and we want that for you too.  You already have a pretty good idea that life is not easy and good things come with hard work and perseverance. 

Bailey, you just crack us up.  Your sense of humor, knack for impressions, and the way you can sum up a situation - serious or humorous - in about three words is hilarious.  Nothing gets by you.  You notice how people talk, what they wear, and can give a dead-on impression of their mannerisms.  I love the little smirk that comes over your face and the look you give me when something is so funny but it’s inappropriate to laugh in public and how tickled we get later when we talk about it.  I also love how you walk in circles around the house talking to me and telling me about your day, what people did at school, and what happened on the video that you watched on TV.  You teach me how things work and remind me to slow down and pay attention to details.  

You love sports - watching them and playing them and you'd rather be outside than anywhere else.  You have become your daddy’s sidekick at Mississippi State football games and between then two of you, I’ve never seen so much anxiety over a ball and a bunch of grown men.  You also love to eat.  The kids meal days are over for us and I knew this when you ordered shrimp and grits at a nice restaurant and there were no leftovers for me to try.  You watch Food Network and plan when we can go to Guy Fieri’s featured diner.  You educate me on how to use my phone, how to work the TV, and soon you will know much more than me about how to use my computer.  It’s scary but also useful.  And, you sure do love that dog, and he knows it.  I tell him that the only thing keeping him here sometimes is his looks but it’s also because of how much you love him.  

I have watched you realize what it means to be grateful.  You are content and thankful for what you have most of the time.  You are thoughtful and make sure that everyone around you is taken care of - you did great helping your daddy with Christmas shopping this year!  Your teachers and coaches also recognize your sweet spirit and we are so proud when you are complimented on your character.  You keep a watchful eye on your sister which is extra helpful for me, even though she acts like she’s annoyed.  

Bailey, you are a joy! You know how to love, you know how to give, and you have high expectations for yourself and others.  You are honest and dependable and I am proud that you are my son.  We pray that you will grow to love God and love others as He loves us.  

Happy Eleventh Birthday!

I love you, 

Mom