Dear Isaac, You're 8 years old!

Dear Isaac,
     You're 8 years old now. It's after midnight so you're no longer my 7 year old. You're so cute, smart, silly, and thoughtful. I like that you still like to snuggle in next to me or Dad especially when watching a movie in our living room. You don't like to draw attention to it, but you don't mind sitting next to us and I'm glad.
     You are playing the piano and the violin now. They both clicked for you and Dylan this year. You just started the violin when school started in August and you were apprehensive when we signed you up for the lessons. You didn't want to perform in front of people. Yet you did a great job and were not nervous at all when your class had a Christmas concert at their church. You have been musical your whole life, but sort of behind the scenes. You like music and sing along with the radio. It surprises me since I don't often have the radio on in the car, so when Dad's driving all of us, you'll start singing along. The latest one was the one about responsibilities. I just looked it up. It's "Stressed Out" by Twenty One Pilots. I like the part where it goes "when mom would sing us to sleep when we were stressed out." It's funny. When we sing the Articles of Faith on the way to school, I can barely hear you at all, but when you sing with the radio, I see you bouncing and hear you just fine. (If you know I'm paying attention to you, you'll shrink away though unless we're all jamming out.)
     You like to climb. You'd love to do your homework and eat dinner in the tree or at the top of the swing set if we let you. Sometimes we do. When I'm loading or unbuckling kids from the car, you're often climbing the shopping cart return or trees in the parking lots. It's fun and I pretend to be surprised and nervous for your safety if other adults are around, but I know you're safe and harmless. You know not to hurt trees, or yourself.
     You're good at soccer, but sometimes let others do your dirty work. You're pretty content back in goal. But when you get that ball on the field, you're on fire! I'm missing watching you and Dylan play on teams so we'll be starting you two up soon. And you've gotten Tyler excited about it so he'll play his first season soon.
     You're growing. I don't want to say stop, b/c that's what you're supposed to do, but you've worn out many knees in many pairs of pants and are ready for another pair of shoes. You borrow Dylan's clothes now and you two get asked if you're twins.
     You have shorter hair for a longer period of time than before. I think it's b/c we've found a barber shop that you like and trust. You don't like when I cut your hair. I think you said that's why you wanted longer hair. I don't know. You aren't that worried about styling your hair, but that's probably b/c you know you're good looking no matter what your outside style is.
     You like electronics and like figuring things out on your own. You can sit quietly with Dad's phone forever. You wear out its battery then go in to our room with the charger and stay until we send a search party for you. For your birthday, you asked for an ipad. You had asked for one for Christmas and we told you that you were too young, that kids have no need for it, and that it's way too expensive. So you asked for an itunes gift card. We told you that's pointless without a device, but you didn't give in. Those are the only two items you wanted. You said that you know an ipad is too expensive, so you "know" that you're not getting that, but you still wanted the itunes gift card. Poor guy. You know how to get us to feel sorry for you, then you somehow get what you want. Like at the school roller skating party. You were going a great job on the roller skates, then near the end, asked if you could try roller blades. I said no, but you reasoned with me and I gave in. I'm not even sure I know how it happened, but you did go around on those roller blades and enjoyed them. Back to the ipad story. Dad and I thought about your initial Christmas wish. And we still were against it until we started seeing how it could benefit us. You would no longer ask to be on Dad's phone, you can do some of your school exercises on it like the year before when the school issued them, we could use it when we give lessons at church, the Disney camping trip has free wi-fi, etc. We did research and got an inexpensive, relatively speaking, ipad mini for you. We can't WAIT for you to open it!
     You'll be starting cub scouts. This is cool but not that new to you since you've been tagging along for the last 2 years. You're going to love it and the Pinewood Derby is coming up this month! Speaking of which, I blogged that 2 years ago, but not Dylan's baptism. What the heck?
     So, turning 8 is a big birthday in our family. We believe that that is the age of accountability and that you are responsible and have a sound enough mind to be able to make the decision on whether you want to officially join our church or not. You decided you do want to. We talked about the responsibilities and blessings and you really read your scriptures by yourself, say your prayers, want to help others, and are trying to be like Jesus. I'm so well pleased with you and know you'll be a leader your whole life. You're awesome and I love you.
Love,
     Mom