Do you have certain ages, years of your childrens' lives that are your favorite? I love age 3. They're just so darn cute and finally able to understand & communicate back and forth. In Conner's case (and I'm assuming it will also be true with Payton), age 7 was absolutely delightful. He was happy. He was so helpful. And did I mention happy?
8 was a little more rough. Learning about impulse control seemed to be a big one. Making good choices & asking forgiveness when it was necessary. And a new, unfamiliar grumpiness also set in. I talked to a friend about this once and I liked her take on it. She thought that when these children turn 8, and they have just been baptized and have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, the adversary seems to have more pull on them. As soon as she said this it was like a light bulb went on . . . yes! It felt good to see that there might be a reason for all this.
In the last few months, though, as he has approached 9 . . . I see happiness, more smiles, more willingness to accommodate and go with the flow (sometimes), more helpfulness. If this is any indicator of what age 9 will be like I think I might be adding "9" to my list of favorites. :)
Remember my "plan" for getting my kids' portraits? Well, last year when Conner turned 8 it didn't quite happen. So, last month after getting some great ideas from Anna's photo session, I took Conner on a little walk around town and captured some great personality shots. Here they are to share:
Happy 9th Birthday, Conner! We love you a ton and I'm looking forward to a great year with you! Kiss, hug, spank!
