Today you are EIGHT!! We blinked and you somehow turned into a big kid, with feet nearly as big as mine! Our socks are constantly getting mixed up in the laundry. And you're just over a foot shorter than I am, but I am sure my lead won't last for too much longer. You are growing like a weed!
This past year has been marked by both physical and cognitive growth. You are so smart, and your ability to reason through problems and get things done continues to amaze us. You love to read, and have blasted through pretty much the entire Magic Treehouse series this year, along with too many other chapter books to count. Your math skills also put you at the head of the class, as I got to witness firsthand recently as your substitute teacher. And while you profess to not enjoy writing, you are quite good at that, too. These things come very easily to you, and for that you are so very lucky! Homework is a breeze, and your errors are always of the careless, rushing-through-work-to-get-it-done variety. You seem to enjoy school, too, and your teachers are always saying how quiet and well-behaved you are in the classroom. I'm glad to hear it, since I know full well that you are not always quiet nor well-behaved at home!
What's funny is that the older you get, the more I recognize traits in your personality that have been there since you were a tiny baby-- we just didn't know what we were looking at. You have a very strong opinion on most subjects. And if you want something, you will pursue it relentlessly. Little baby Niko was the same way, he just didn't have the words to say it (so he screamed and cried). You are stubborn as a mule, which is both a good trait and a frustrating one. It is very tough to get you to try new things but, at the same time, you will never be the kid who gives in to peer pressure. You don't do anything unless you've really thought about it and WANT to do it. We can constantly see the wheels spinning in your brain, trying to figure out how to turn a situation to your advantage. And that is definitely a skill that will help you later in life! We've said for years now that you are our future lawyer, and that hasn't changed!
You have lots of friends at school and are generally well-liked, though you prefer to play with one or two kids at a time instead of a big group. You generally don't choose to play sports at recess, preferring to instead play games that require your imagination. Minecraft is always a popular choice. In fact, Minecraft is your favorite everything right now. You love the video game and would play it all hours of the day, if you could. You read the handbooks that go with the game. You build with Minecraft legos. You are dressing as a Minecraft character for Halloween. And... you get the point. You love anything and everything associated with Minecraft, as do a lot of other kids your age. So of course you choose to pretend to be IN the world of Minecraft at recess time.
Despite your big feet, big brain, and big opinions, you are still our baby. You still give us the best snuggles. And despite pretending to be embarrassed when you see me in the hallway at your school, you still let me give you a hug and I know you are secretly happy I am there. You're a good kid, Niko, and we love you more than we ever thought we could possibly love a screaming little baby. Happy Birthday, buddy! It's going to be a great year!
All our love,
Mommy, Daddy, and Maya
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