Emmett--8 years old

{text written in August; pictures not added until November 😁}

Things about our now 8-year-old Emmett:

• He keeps a tidy room.  He likes to be organized and for everything to have a place.
• He's affectionate.  I have to pry myself out of his goodnight hugs nearly every night. :)
• He likes adventure and trying new things.  This summer he hiked a difficult 7-mile summit trail and learned how to kayak.
• He owns the fact that he's "short for his age."
• He says "vs." as the letters v and s rather than versus.  "At recess I play basketball me "vee ess" all the girls."
• He's a bit scroogey about his money.  He likes to save and count it.
• He loves and excels in school.
• When Emmett gets in trouble it's usually because he sneakily continued reading after lights out.   He reads all the time. He always brings a book in the car so he doesn't waste time getting bored. :)
• When getting a kids meal at Chick-fil-A, he chooses a toy over ice cream because it's something that lasts.
• He started official piano lessons this month (August).  He's doing great!
• He also started taking gymnastics classes.  He's in an all boys class with a great coach and enjoying it so far!
• He loves playing games and is especially happy when he finds someone who will play chess with him.
• He enjoys soccer and tennis and is looking forward to playing some basketball and baseball this next year.
• He doesn't draw as much as he used to, but he still blows me away on occasion with the ease at which he can draw perspective and certain detail.
• {addition} He's become very interested in football this season.  He'd watch all the games (pro and college) every weekend if we'd let him.  He likes to keep track of the rankings and win/loss records. He throws the football around every day after school, often giving the play-by-play.

How we celebrated:
On Emmett's actual birthday, we surprised Emmett with a balloon avalanche when he opened his door in the morning.  I hadn't previously thought about how terrifying that might be in the early morning and he said we gave him a "heart attack." :)  He got to open one present at breakfast (a remote control car) and Clark took Chick-fil-a to him for lunch together at school.  That afternoon we headed to the most "epic" dreamland of all 8-year-old boys:  Galaxy Fun Park.  They had an end-of-summer special where the kids got to do unlimited activities + 30 minutes in the trampoline park.  His friend Alden came along and they + his sisters had a grand time riding bumper cars and go carts, playing laser tag, etc. 

We saved birthday cake and presents for the weekend when we got to celebrate with Grandma Schmutz, Grandma Moulton & Pop Pop, Vaughn & girls, and Celia & Benson and family.  Emmett's ice cream cake was all things brownie, cookie, oreo and ganache, with a hint of Harry Potter.  He was pretty darling blowing out his candles and we all laughed a lot during that and his birthday interview.  He was thrilled about his gifts which included an electric pencil sharpener, legos and new puma shoes. 

Birthday interview:
Q: What is your favorite color?
A: Either black or green or yellow.

Q: What is your favorite animal?
A: One of them are snakes

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: Scientist.  I don't which scientist though.

Q: What are some of your favorite things to do?
A: Videogames, do sports (bolwing, swimming, tennis)

Q: What do you like to do with dad?
A: Play videogames and games with him?

Q: What do you like to do with mom?
A: Play games with her.

Q: What do you like to do with your sisters?
A: Play with them.

Q: What are some of your talents?
A: Drawing, knowing a lot about dinosaurs and animals

Q: What's the best book you've read?
A: Wings of Fire

Q: Who is the cutest girl in your class?
A: What the heck?! {blushing, laughing, covering face}

Q: How many girls have asked you to be their boyfriend?
A: {more giggling and laughing}