Levi is EIGHT!

 Happy Birthday Levi Olin! Today you are 8 years old! You are currently downstairs playing Axis and Allies with Daddy (your new favorite game) while we wait for your orange rolls to rise and bake for breakfast. 

Levi, you are such a kind and thoughtful boy. You don't want people to feel left out, you stop and check on people when they get hurt. You pick up on ALL the emotional cues in the room. You have a big case of FOMO :) You are learning to play the piano and have begun creating your own series of dragons and you asked if you'd be able to publish your "book" at the library when you are all done. Every morning you let out the chickens and spend a little time playing with Marshall. Every afternoon you vacuum the living room and you are always one of the first to arrive when I ask for help. At night you take care of your gecko, Sapphire, walking him around the house and feeding him. Sometimes you'll help shut the chickens back in. This summer you learned how to make our family's giant cookie and now you make one for us every Sunday. You sold several over the summer and everyone agreed they were delicious! 

You love to spend time outdoors -- your favorite activity is fishing. You also like our hikes and playing at the park. Just yesterday you found a big branch that fell down during a huge windstorm this week, you dug a hole in the back yard and hammered in the branch, so now it looks like we have a new tree in the back yard :) Then you proceeded to hang your pinecone bird feeders that you made for the birds this winter. You spot all kinds of birds and hawks when we are out on walks or driving around. 

Tonight we are celebrating your birthday with some friends and family. We are having a Nintendo themed party. And you don't know it yet, but you're getting a Nintendo switch. (I mean, you've asked for it, and want it, but we're trying to surprise you anyway). You've even worked really hard to save some money of your own to help pay for it. I hope you love it so much! We are having pizza, fruit, veggies, cupcakes and ice cream. You even put up streamers last night in the shape/design of a Switch. I think your hopes are high! 

You and Zoë seem to share a special middle-children bond. 

Birthday Interview -- December 17, 2021

What is your favorite color? Dark green (after look at his new multi-tool from great-Grandma)

...movie? "Home Alone"  

... tv show? "That's a hard one, but it's going to be "Dragon Riders: Race to the Edge". 

... book? "Snake books" 

... fruit? "Mango" 

... animal? "It depends on the day, but its birds." 

... thing to do everyday? "Well, on a normal day I like playing outside and helping the birds. And I like with my family." 

... about Naomi? "That she's funny and she's kind." 

... about Zoë? "That she's good at hide and seek and that she has lots of colors in her life." 

... about Zeke? "I like that he's smart and he has great ideas." 

... about Mommy? "That she's a great chef and that she makes my birthday meals."  

... about Daddy? "That he likes playing games with me and going fishing."  

What do you want to be when you grow up? "The first thing that I want to be is to have my own zoo and it's only reptiles. The second thing is that I want to be a person who loves birds and builds nests for them." 

What do you like most about homeschooling? "Play time and math." 

What is your favorite food? "Whoo, that's a hard one! I think it's homemade pizza." 

Anything else you want to remember about turning 8? "That I can have good memories and that my friends can come over and that we'll have a great time! " 

Levi, you are an intense child and I find that we have many things in common, for better or worse. I can't wait to see what the year ahead brings as you continue to learn and grow. I love that you want to snuggle with me every time we read, even though I often ask you to let someone else have a turn. Somehow you convince them that it's your turn again ;) I love your zest for life and your energy to run and play and do all the things. You typically wake up every morning around 7 am, but this morning you came out of your room at 630 am, excited to start your birthday early. I pray that in the year ahead your friendships will grow, your self-control will strengthen, and your love for others will be returned back to you in abundance! Love, Mommy