Happy 11th birthday, darling Declan. This kid is a gem. He is quietly contemplative. He absorbs information like a sponge. He is playful and happy to run around all day long. Alternate plans, but also entirely agreeable to him, would be sitting in a weird position and reading all day long. He takes things in stride publicly and prefers to handle his emotions privately. I love his confidence, his can-do/easy-peasy attitude, and his adorable face.
We have another teenager; today is Edison’s 13th birthday! Edison is such a fun and hilarious kid. He is independent and solves any problems he faces. He is friendly and makes everyone feel included. He has energy until bedtime when he falls asleep in .2 seconds. He is reliable and I can count on him to keep track of his responsibilities. His musical skills are quickly outpacing mine because of his devoted practicing. Edison’s confidence is admirable and he takes everything in stride. We love him.
Today is Mei's 7th birthday! Mei likes to make things special. She is always planning, creating, rehearsing, decorating, and imagining. Everyone in her vicinity is either going to be incorporated into her shows or become audience members. She is a very thoughtful gift giver and is extremely empathetic. She loves to teach things she is learning to Rhys. She is fashionable and will wear several outfits in a day, with outfits planned days in advance. At the end of a long day of all of her doing, her studio (bedroom) is a disaster and she has no plans to change that. Mei is beautiful joy.
Alex is 14 years old! He is reliable, competent, hardworking, particular, exacting, kind, respectful, playful, thoughtful, and sarcastic. He loves to read, eat apples, and call out cool cars he sees. He is athletic and enjoys doing all of the physical activities. Alex works hard to become better at everything he does; he is self-aware and has seemed older than his age for years. Fourteen years later and I’m still glad I didn’t give into my labor dream and name him Guillermo. You’re welcome, Alex!
