Today my first born, my baby boy, turned 8!

8 years old!

He’s not a baby, or a toddler, or a little boy anymore.  He’s 8!

I remember being 8!  It wasn’t that long ago.  Ok, so it was.  But still, I REMEMBER being 8!

And now I HAVE an 8 year old.  A pretty stinkin’ cute 8 year old!

My baby boy has worn his football pads, eye black, and sweat necklace every.single.day since Christmas!  He’s a man with a plan, and he’s planning on wearing this whole “get-up” for career day…whenever that may be.

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This morning our wonderful family came over for brunch, chaos, and a birthday/New Years celebration.  It was the perfect way to celebrate the New Year and Preston’s 8th!  We plan on having a “friend” birthday party for him this summer.  He wants a swimming party for his half-birthday…which, of course, must take place on his half birthday!

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Here are the kids with our annual “year” pancakes.

2012: Lilly Katherine, Garrett, Caleb, Preston, Claire, AnnaLeigh, Tayler, and Truett

These gifts may seem odd for an 8 year old boy, but my boy doesn’t really play with toys.  He likes sports, sports, and all things sports.  He was so excited about his new “sports” clothes.

I realized after he opened all of his gifts that we had not sung happy birthday, and I had forgotten to put candles in his #8 pancake.  Someone suggested that I put candles in our leftover football brownies from our Baylor Bowl Night, and so that’s what we did.  Pretty fancy!

Nothing like finishing off your cinnamon rolls and pancakes with a brownie!

Happy Birthday, baby boy!

During the party, AnnaLeigh was busy being a HAM!  She’s a total maniac these days and loves to giggle and entertain as she hops from family member to family member.  She’s the life of the party and loves everyone!

She loved on Aunt Kara…

…and Tayler

She did her own make-up, in case you couldn’t tell.  Then she did Claire’s make-up.  Lucky Claire!

It was such a wonderful morning.  It was so much fun to celebrate my baby’s birthday and the New Year with so many people that we love.  We are so blessed to have this family!  We are so blessed to see them often.  We will hopefully be seeing this same crew Saturday as we celebrate AnnaLeigh’s 3rd birthday!  Crazy!

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Happy birthday sweet boy!  I’m glad you had so much fun today!  I love you so much and I am so proud of you!  I still don’t know how in the world you are 8, and I don’t know how in the world I birthed you.  We are so different.  Thank you for challenging me, trying to make me on time, and being my human calendar.  We would be a mess without you!  Thank you for your intensity and dedication to the things you love.

Lord, please guide and direct this child as he grows.  Help him to make wise decisions about the friends he chooses and the friend that he is to others.  Please help Preston to be a good brother and a good example to Lilly Katherine, AnnaLeigh, and this new baby.  Please give he and this baby a special bond.  Lord, please tug at Preston’s heart and give him the desire to know you, love you, and want to follow you.  Lord, thank you for this little man that you put in my life.  I need him!  I love him!  Please teach me how to always show him I love him.  Thank you for the amazing earthly example he has with a daddy like Brad!  Please help Preston to be a man of integrity, hard work, wisdom, loyalty, and devotion to YOU, just like his daddy!  Thank you, Lord, for P!

-kate