Happy Birthday, Eddie!

Here he is, the birthday boy, with his snazzy new haircut.  Like you can tell.  But it looks great, maybe just because I look at his face and the way I love him more than I look at his hair.  He wanted pizza and chocolate cake for dinner, so that's what he got.  Even if I had to dump cocoa powder into a yellow cake mix to make it.  That's ok.  The look on Georgie's face when he stole the cocoa powder spoon to lick it off was worth every moment of cooking!

Eddie, I love you to the moon and back.  You were a ray of sunshine just when your daddy and I needed it.  You still are.  Happy twelfth birthday!  Twelfth.  Don't look at that word too long or it will mess you up.  Twelvth?  Will you tie your tongue in knots if you try to pronounce "L-V-TH" too many times in a row?  Quit it.

Twelve things I love about Eddie:

1. He is so kind.  He sees times when he can jump in and help that many others don't notice.
2. He is so thorough at cleaning the kitchen!  I love his night to clean up (although he doesn't).
3. He brushes my hair.  I'm always been a sucker for that.
4. He is my snuggle buddy, always wanting to sit close and put his head on my shoulder.
5. He has a gentle strength that flows through everything he does.
6. He loves soft clothes and wants me to feel how fluffy his sweatshirt is, and then loves me for buying it for him.
7. He is a great babysitter!  He plays well with his younger siblings, and they love him.
8. He does his schoolwork independently.  Most of the time, he finishes at school.
9. He is the first one to start and finish his chores, and rarely requires any prompting from Mom!
10. He likes watching documentaries so he can learn things.
11. He is easy-going and nice to be around.  He has good friends and develops friendships easily.
12. He's my newest deacon, and is excited to help at church with those new responsibilities.

Love you so much, Eddie!  I hope this year is a wonderful one for you.