I’m certain that every single parent on earth would agree to the words, “the days are long but the years are short” when it comes to watching their children grow up.  Today my little boy is 8.  I’m still in disbelief that nearly 8 years have passed since this photo was taken.

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It seems like both a long time ago and just yesterday that I was in the haze of having an infant, a toddler, a preschooler and then an elementary school aged child.  8 seems so much not like a little kid and yet, not like a true big kid either.  While I don’t often write about parenting or my child, I do take the time every year to celebrate the little boy who truly changed my life for good.

My little Wild Boy has changed a lot in one year.  It’s amazing how many things can happen in just 365 days.

These are just some of the highlights from the past year:

  • The transition from 2nd to 3rd grade was an easy one.  Being in a class with great friends has been pretty fabulous.  Academics are relatively easy for you.  You excel in math and reading.
  • The two front teeth came out and grew back in nearly as quickly as they fell out.  The Tooth Fairy was generous and wrote some pretty nice notes.
  • This was the year when popular music became important – John Newman’s “Love Me Again”, Fall Out Boy’s “Centuries”, “Turn Down For What” and anything by Maroon 5 became favorites.  You even developed your own appreciation for Duran Duran – you love “Hold Back The Rain” and “Ordinary World” most of all.
  • The devotion to sports still continues to astound.  Waking up every morning to check scores, standings and getting the chance to watch any and every sport is what’s most important right now.
  • A blue belt was achieved in Hap Kido (which was the goal of 2014) but a hiatus was taken to accommodate the soccer/basketball season and then the baseball season.
  • Baseball tryouts went well this season with a move up to the league that required try-outs.  It was a proud moment to learn that  you were one of the youngest accepted to the American League in the Little League district.
  • Ladies Love Cool Wild Boy – the first secret admirer left you a note and a special bracelet.  We figured out who she was by her handwriting but your heart still remained with a special girl in NYC.
  • A tie at the Jog-A-Thon – last year you and your buddy won the school Jog-A-Thon for your grade and this year, you and the same friend ran the JAT together to come in 2nd place.  It made many people smile to see how hard you both worked and that you wanted to do this race together.
  • Image and hair became very important this year.  Currently Shaun White clothing from Target is cool and hair often styled and a bit on the long side for flipping ability.
  • This was the year that a request was made to make drop off at the school gate (not the class line) and hand holding when crossing the street is now a definite no-no.

My Wild Boy remains a headstrong, confident, sweet, smart, handsome and fun child.  There are times that parenting such a child is difficult but it is also quite wonderful.

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In this photo Wild Boy is 1 month old, Griffin is nearly 2 years old and Jay is 37.

 

I’m lucky to have a kid that challenges me not only as a parent but as a human being.  I’ve learned more about people, myself and the world at large from being a parent.  I like the person that I’ve become from being a parent and I can only hope that my child likes the person from whom he comes as well.

To read what the previous year’s recaps:  Here’s Lucky 7 and 6 is 1/3 of the Way To Being An Adult.