My sweet little boy, I cannot believe that in May you will be 8 years old. I remember the day you were born, and the nights spent rocking you to sleep. Now you’re this skinny little thing, who still wants to cuddle and get hugs and hold hands. I know you’re going to grow out of this soon, you’re getting older and more mature.
I want to talk about some recent things that have me proud to be your mom.
Soccer. Watching you struggle for so many years and spend so many hours with the physical therapist, I knew that soccer would require a lot of coordination, strength, and hard work. You’ve proven to us that it’s possible. We’re only a few weeks in and you’ve already received your first sports related injury – a soccer ball to the face. You cried (I’m not sure that you’ll remember all of this when you’re older and reading this finally), and your dad went onto the field (well, indoor gym area) and brought you back to the bench we were seated at. You had a small cut on your lip, but nothing serious. After a minute of crying and sniffles, a few big drinks of water, do you know what you did? You got up, got excited, and went back out to your team. That right there made me proud. Determination. I’m sure that ball hurt, I would have cried to. But you got back up, went back out there, and even if it was the last 2 minutes of practice, you went back to your team. And when the coach let you guys go for the night, what did you do? You came over to us, arms in the air, yelling, “YEAH!”. Joy and pride filled me.
School. Oh I know it’s hard and there’s so much going on and so much to learn and practice, but you are just over 100 days into first grade and you are doing so well. You are making improvements, you are working hard, and I know you are having fun. The other day, we stood outside and talked after school. It was a rare, warm January day so I asked what happened at school. You told me that a little boy kissed a little girl at recess and my heart raced. You are too young for that. You are barely 8 years old! Ahhh! You assured me that you haven’t kissed anyone, and I’m positive I embarrassed you with that question, but I’m your mom and I need to know these things. Wait a few years!
Your brother and sister. I know they drive you crazy (hey, they drive ME crazy too sometimes!), but you guys have so much together. Don’t let the age difference between you and Gavin get in the way. He may be smaller than you, but you are his best friend right now. Be kind to him, share with him, teach him. He doesn’t know the things that you do – you get to show him the way!
I love you. I love you everyday, everynight, forever and always.
- Mom
Want to read another blogger’s letter to her son? Check out Brandy’s!
That is beautiful Mandi! I am sure this letter will mean the world to him one day. I have loved watching your family grow up through pictures and your updates, I cant believe he is almost 8 already… where does the time go?
They grow up way to fast, for sure. I love your letter!
This is so beautiful! Wow, how much he accomplished, he’s a little trooper (and doesn’t it make you cry when you see your little boy being strong and toughing things out? It breaks my heart, I love my son most when I see how sweetly fragile and innocent he is, but he toughs things out)
OMG!! This made me cry!! It is so beautiful!! I have a son too, and this really touched my heart. Amazing how much we love them, isn’t it? I do wish time would slow down just a little. It goes by way too fast when we are adults, and especially once we become parents. ~Hugs!
I am not looking forward to the not cuddling stage. Glad to see I still get a few more years of that. Loved your letter!
What a beautiful letter! 1st grade was hard for my son and it took a lot of poking/prodding to figure out it was a speech issue. He seems to be getting better but I still worry a lot.
Also I agree I’m not ready for the not cuddling stage. It breaks my heart to even start thinking about it.