A few thoughts on my oldest.

Sassypants turned 8 last week. We let her choose where to go for her birthday dinner. She had all the culinary options of the greater Seattle area available to her and she picked Old Spaghetti Factory because apparently, we’re raising a monster.

Questionable food choices aside, she’s a pretty amazing kid. Husband and I have always encouraged independence in her. Sometimes I worry we’ve gone too far, but she’s got a sense of self well beyond what I had at her age. She expresses herself, asks thought-provoking questions, and tests boundaries (for better or worse).

She loves science, reading, art, and math. When I told her I wanted to get some math workbooks for her to work on over the summer (she had some trouble at the end of the year), she lit up. She’s been asking to practice math like it’s some kind of treat. How the hell do I bottle that??

She’s also a fantastic big sister. Don’t get me wrong, she can be a shitty one, too. But more often than not, she’s super sweet with Kraken. She has far more patience with her sister than I would expect of a kid her age. She’s caring and kind, even when Kraken is pitching a fit.

It’s obviously not all sunshine. Sassypants has been like an unruly teenager since birth. She throws attitude like monkeys throw poo and rolls her eyes with the slightest provocation. She’s also a picky, reluctant eater with a strong proclivity toward getting hangry. She’s still awesome, though. And the older she gets, the more I like spending time with her. I’m really excited about the person she’ll become — but I also really enjoy who she is now. She’s affectionate and genuinely enjoys spending time with her parents. I know those traits won’t last forever, so I’m trying to soak up as much of that as I can. 

Happy birthday, Baby. I hope you love 8.