To My Almost 8 Year Old

Sweet, sweet Averi Kate. You are a bundle of joy, laughter, impetuousness, creativity, and adventure all bound up in an almost 8 year old body.

You are a lover of life. You're not afraid to try new things, and wherever we go you make friends so easily. I'm always losing you at your siblings' sports practices and games because you always find whoever is closest to your size and run off playing with them.

You beg to sleep in your sister's bed every night, and usually proceed to keep her up till midnight. You are saving up all your money to buy a guinea pig - although up till now, you have been secretly putting any money that you earn into Claire's bank. You have just never been all that attached to money, and I do hope that you always keep your generous spirit. You don't tend to perform for people's attention or applause. I might catch you making up a really pretty routine on the balance beam that sits across our two couches in the living room (different issue altogether), but if you catch me watching you, the moment is over. You don't really know how to take a compliment - you either deflect, like when I say, "Hey! You did great at gymnastics tonight!" and you say, "Oh Mom, no I didn't. You always say that. I just did what I always do." - or you make a silly face.

But I'm serious, babe. You are really special.

You've got some sweet dance moves, and you're not afraid to use them.

You're still the best helper I know. You don't think twice about meeting others' needs - it's in your nature. You are nurturing and kind. You are so hard to get up in the mornings. I often have to pick you up and dump you on the couch. When you are awake, though, I would vote you most likely to give hugs, to laugh at corny jokes, to wear your clothes backward, and to tackle a young child to protect them from doing something dangerous. Your sense of smell is something else. When I asked what you were doing out of bed the other night (obviously post-workout for myself), you said, "I just wanted to give you a hug and hold my nose and try not to breathe."

You are fearless. Last weekend we went to snow mountain at Stone Mountain. They had a few different options for snow tubing; while the rest of us were deciding whether to start on the least intense option or to go down to the "bunny slopes" for a few practice runs first, you were already halfway up to the "Dare Devil Plunge," the fastest and tallest slope out there, dragging your tube behind you.

Your favorite thing in life is probably babysitting Dobby's dog Penny. Last time you babysat, I walked in to find you and Penny sitting on the ping pong table. You love to rollerblade, and you still love gymnastics and would jump at any chance on earth to ride a horse. You have started taking tap dancing this year and love that too. Honestly, most anything you do, you enjoy. You have the best laugh of anyone I know. It starts so deep inside of you and when I hear it I can't help joining in.

For all your whimsical ways, you have a serious ability to focus on a task, especially when that task involves building or fixing something. I think you have an engineer's mind at times.

Music is becoming an important part of your life. You've already started playing around with chords and making up some pretty neat-sounding songs. Mrs. Hannah has to constantly remind you to keep your eyes on your music, because you get carried away and just start to play what you feel. I hope you never lose that. Although I do hope you learn to read music on the page, too.

You're basically one of my favorite people in the world.

It might be frustrating at times to try to reason with a girl who lives outside of the box, but no one on earth makes me laugh more than you do. I see so much beauty in you, and it just keeps growing and growing. I'm so very glad that God made you.

Happy birthday, my sweet almost-8-year-old!!!