The Great Eight

Sweet Clay,

How can it be that you are eight?! It seems like it wasn't that long ago that you decided to join our family, but here we are eight years later, unable to imagine our lives without you! You have added joy and love and wonder to every single day, and it is truly a pleasure to know you and to spend my days with you!

Just two days after your last birthday, we hopped on a plane to South America, where we spent a couple of months visiting Peru, Argentina, and Chile. You took to it like you've taken to all our adventures--warmly and with enthusiasm. Not many kids your age can say they've explored Machu Picchu, viewed the Nazca Lines, fished in the Amazon for piranhas, sandboarded down massive sand dunes, posed with moai statues on Easter Island, skied in the Andes, or eaten guinea pig. You eagerly embraced every moment and had the time of your life!

You started second grade in the fall and continue to be a wonderful student at home and at Arrow, where you took art, history, Lego robotics, P.E., guitar, and dance. You work hard in all your classes and approach most subjects with genuine interest and zeal. Your independent reading has also exploded this year, and you can rarely be found without a book in your hand. You have especially been enjoying the Magic Tree House books and the Great Illustrated Classics.

You continue to be active in Cub Scouts and embody all the principles of the Scout Law, which states that "a Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent." In addition, you participated in a Ninja Warrior class in the fall, took golf lessons for a couple of months after the first of the year, and improved your swimming skills with another round of swim lessons. You truly love to try new activities and are always thinking about what your next thing might be.

You love to cook and often ask to help in the kitchen or to prepare meals and treats from your growing stash of cookbooks. You are even planning to attend Cake Camp this summer, and I know we will all be the beneficiaries of your creations.

You are obsessed with toy weapons and costumes, and just about every day your imagination carries you off to creative worlds that transcend our own. And, you spent at least half of this year sleeping in your "fort," a sanctuary under your bunk, with blanket walls, that had you happily sleeping on the floor rather than in your bed.

You love to play board games and have beat me soundly a number of times at Ticket to Ride, which is one of your favorites. You have also learned to play Settlers of Catan, Boggle, Dungeons and Dragons, and several card games. You are often the instigator and organizer to bring the whole family together for a fun game night.

Clay, you are an absolute delight! You are kind, generous, loving, smart, funny, curious, enthusiastic, and creative. You dispense hugs (and "extra hugs") and smiles freely, and you make every day more beautiful and exciting! You are the kind of person I want to be, and I'm thankful I have the opportunity to learn from you every day. I can't wait to see what the next year brings for you. Happy birthday, sweet boy!

Love,
Mom

Mr. Cinco de Mayo