Gavin's 9 years old

Yesterday Gavin turned 9 years old. He was excited to have Grandma and Grandpa Harris here for the eventful day although he was not interested in having us take him out for lunch or even join him for school lunch!  Very typical, actually. Pulling him out of school would shift his routine too much and he's never been fond on lunch time visits...he gets too embarrassed for some reason.  So we offered to take him to dinner and that got a huge smile, like finally we'd offered him the jackpot!

We headed to Burtons Grill, one of his favorite restaurants, because the kids menu is set up in food groups and you pick a protein (steak, grilled chicken, shrimp, or a local beef hamburger), starch, fruit, veggie, and a dairy (which includes frozen yogurt).  His pick for the night:  shrimp, chips (homemade), cucumbers, mixed fruit, and frozen yogurt. And all this for the lovely price of $7......it is by far the best kids menu I've ever seen in a restaurant.  We all went around the table and told him things we loved about him which included his laugh, his athletic prowess, "he's fun to play with and good at everything he does", his desire to always do what is right, his ability to focus and accomplish great things and maybe two more I can't recall.

We then went home to open gifts that included a new fishing pole and tackle box, a new soccer backpack, a new bike helmet from Jonah who told him: "Since I sort of took over your old helmet, I thought you should get a new one"! Loved that! He also got a longboard, something the boys have all been talking about for some time.  Everyone was of course a bit jealous and Gavin was good to give everyone, including me, a turn.

Here are the fun things I want to remember about you, Gavin:

You have a very loud voice.  It must come from being the 3rd brother down and needing to be heard.   There are times in the car when you forewarn me (one time you didn't and scared me to death, so now we have a rule) and tell me that you are going to be really loud for just a minute.  And you let out this ear piercing scream that shakes me to the core.  It's a huge release for you, otherwise you let out a constant stream of short and quick yells!  It reminds me of the time you came home from WV with Dad after helping out with his High Council speaking assignment.  You had polished every snack I had sent and then proceeded to rip off all your church clothes and scream and laugh at the top of your lungs.  As Dad says, you were being a complete maniac!

You love to have to-do lists and mark them off.  You love to know exactly what is expected of you and then you try your hardest to do it.  This makes you easy to coach as many of your coaches have commented, and it makes you a joy to parent.  I realized today while swimming, that you have been getting more ornery with me when I remind you of things to do because it's already in your plan.  So, I decided that because I can't read your mental "plan" as of today I'm going to start to try very hard to only remind you when it's obvious you have forgotten something because I do trust you to get what needs to be done, done.

You are an athletic powerhouse.  This week alone you have come home from school reporting that you set the school record for the year for the pacer test (82) and then the next day for the push up test (45).  I mean Dad and I cannot even do 45 push-ups (standard style) in a row, let alone in total.  And remember, technically you could be considered a 3rd grader!  I have told you this before, but I marveled at your body when you were a baby, marveled.  At 6 months you had defined calf muscles and you were never really a chubby baby, just a solid mass of muscle and this is still very much the case.  You have been blessed with an athletic body and a mental drive to boot.

Your favorite sports in order are: tennis, skiing, water skiing, soccer, swimming.

You love to read! You just finished the last Harry Potter book about one month ago and so we watched the final movie, which we told you you'd have to wait to see until after you finished reading the books. The past few days you have been reading Holes and when we told you there was a movie of the book your eyes sparkled with excitement!

You love to be organized.  Your desk in your room and your dresser top stays in the order most of the time.  When we clean out drawers you like to put your clothes back in using whatever system makes the most sense to you.

You know how to knit and crochet and finger knit and love to make little tops for your nightstand or long scarves.

You are amazing with the yo-yo or any other hand skill toy.  You used your money to buy a $40 Duncan on our trip to the Outer Banks this summer.  Then the brothers all ordered theirs when we got home, of course .  When we are running errands I find having them is a great distraction and you love when others take notice.  I watch you try and show more interesting tricks for them without saying a word.

You know how to make German Pancakes from start to finish by yourself and they always turn out great!  You haven't adventured into other recipes at this point, but I have a feeling you will.

You hate peanut butter and jam sandwiches, hot cereal (the tears, oh the tears), tofu and rice, beans and rice, wheat bread and melted cheese.  You love almost any vegetable, all fruits, and all meats and fish.  You also like a fried egg sandwich with bacon NO cheese, pancakes and waffles with whip cream and fruit (you put a blueberry or raspberry in each square of a waffle), and like me, you love dark chocolate :)

You are very musical on piano, drums and the cello.  Right now you are playing a song on cello that is from a bluegrass band, Steel Wheels, who we saw at the Red Wing Roots Festival this summer.  Apparently, you heard it this morning on the drive to school and when you sit down to start your practice on the piano or cello, you often start by playing some random song that is floating around in your mind.  So obviously this is where this song has been today.  Dad just came in, because how can he resist something so awesome and you played it together for me on this video that did not upload despite having tried for 10 hours (overnight).  Sigh.  I'll figure it out soon, I hope.

I love how you play with Jonah.  You two are room buddies this year and after I leave the room you love to talk and sometimes cause trouble.  I think your asleep until I hear little voices laughing and banging on the walls.  I'll go up to find either you on the top bunk with Jonah or him on the bottom.  I'm usually not happy because by then it is 9:30, one hour past your bedtime!!!! Trouble!  But, it does make me happy knowing how much you two love each other.

Gavin, I want you to remember that I love everything about you and I absolutely love being your mother!  Thank you for being such an amazing person.