Happy Birthday, Mr. Finn!

Finny 8 is a HUGE year for you. You can legally ride without a car seat (which, poor you, we still make you use most of the time).  You're going to make your first reconciliation and communion. You're starting flag football in the fall. You're reading like a pro (especially thanks to Grandma's birthday present  - a fancy new Kindle).

For your birthday this year, we spent the week in St. Paul (you wanted to be at the lake, but I had already signed you up for camps at Nativity and so you rolled with the punches just fine). You spent all week up at school in the mornings doing Spanish, Science and Robotics. As much as you love the lake, you did enjoy being back to see all your buddies. On your birthday, you brought treats up to camp and we stopped at your friend Caleb's house for a play date (his mom had birthday donuts for everyone to share).

I told you that we had a surprise planned for the evening and you were funny about just going along with it all - not too concerned about what the surprise might me.  We invited Winsors, Sullivans and Wauds to go see the new Despicable Me movie at the drive in. We packed dinner, drinks and cupcakes and got the car all loaded and ready to go while you played in your bedroom. Seamus had the idea that he would make masks for all of us to wear and so we sent you out to wait in the car and then Dad marched out the back door dressed as Gru (it was so hot outside - and he stayed in costume for the whole movie) and we followed as his Minions (with Bucky even dressed at the crazy dog). You looked so delighted. It was such a fun surprise. When we got to the movie and settled in, you were even more surprise to see Benny and Finn Sullivan arrive with their families. It was a treat all around.

We grilled brats and I brought homemade Mac and Cheese. The movie was cute and there is something special about going to a drive in movie theater - the one we went to is the last one left in the state.

What can I tell you about your 8 year old self? You are so driven and organized. You work towards goals, you can plan ahead and think through obstacles.

This was the year you earned an Ipod. After seeing the big cousins with their phones and Ipods, you kept asking dad and I when and how you could get one. Finally, Dad and I agreed that if you could be the captain of keeping the shared bedroom (meaning that you needed to pick up after yourself but also keep MJ and Seamus on task), the basement and the backyard cleaned up for 30 days you could earn a used Ipod. We also required that you do it with a good attitude and as a peace maker. If you all fought about keeping things clean, than you missed the whole point.

Well, frankly, to our surprise, you did a remarkable job.  At the end of every day, you'd ask how you'd done on a scale of 1-10.  I usually said 8 so you always had room to improve. You managed to get MJ and Seamus on board and they (for the most part) worked hard to keep their stuff cleaned up so you could earn your Ipod. When they didn't and you ended up racing around to pick up after them, they always seemed so grateful that they'd work harder to help the next day.

Needless to say, it made my life so much easier.  Instead of me yelling up the stairs in the mornings to double check you made your beds, I could hear you asking Seamus to quick make his bed before he came down or saying to MJ that you'd just picked up the basement so could she please put her Lego's away before she went upstairs. It was amazing to me that you were able to stay so focused and that you were able to do it without alienating your siblings.

It took us a few weeks, but eventually we got you a used Ipod Touch and you've taken great care of it.  There is no messaging or Internet, but you like to listen to your music and play DJ in the car or at the lake. You've got a few games and you've been great about using it appropriately.  It was a fascinating experiment for us as parents - you proved that you're mature and thoughtful for your age. Dad and I both said we'd do this again, but maybe make it longer than a month.

You can swim to the raft without a life jacket (if I'm there). You're up and down the hill at the cabin with your bike all day long. You kept a pile of clothes in cabin 1 this summer because you desperately want to be one of the big cousins who can drive the boat and run the tractor.

You surprise me all of the time - with your sense of humor, your sense of self and your ability to make everyone feel good. You are still very much a bridge builder at home and at school. People want to be around you because you bring out goodness in everyone.

I can't wait to see what this year bring you - we are so grateful to get to watch your grow up and share in this wonderful life. Happy, happy birthday, Mr Finn. We love you more each day!