1. You are in 7th grade and things are going so well. Something, somewhere, somehow clicked between 6th and 7th grade because you are better focused in class, you come home and knock out your homework (usually) by dinnertime, and the general stress/panic level is way down.
2. Your favorite things to pack for lunch are a turkey + mayo + mustard sandwich or ramen noodles in a mini thermos.
3. You just wrapped up a month long stint with the Middle School district honors choir. There were weekly practices all month and this week you had 3 straight days of long practices, ending with a performance at UNLV on Wednesday night. When we met up with you after the concert you said, “That was so much FUN!!” You were just beaming. What a cool experience – I’m so glad that you got to participate. My favorite song was the all-boys number . . . . in 4-part harmony. Acapella. That level of musicality is a BIG DEAL for middle school aged boys!
4. You love your iPod touch. So much so that you were grounded from it last week. It was becoming too addicting (thank you Candy Crush Saga).
5. I had conferences with your reading teacher and my favorite comment about you – she said you are an incredibly polite, respectful, and thoughtful. You have lunch break in the middle of her class and every time you leave you tell her, “bye, have a great lunch.” And when you return you ask, “how was your lunch?” That is not common behavior for a 12/13 year old boy.
6. Recently you began
reading Wonder
7. Star Wars books are still your favorite and you will read them every spare milli-second of the school day.
8. You are the shortest Deacon at church, but don’t worry that growth spurt will come soon I’m sure.
9. This week you had to make a model of the earth's layers for a science project and you decided to make it out of food. (We've been watching a lot of Halloween Wars on the Food Network.) Rice krispie treats, frosting, fondant, and a no-bake cookie core. The edible Earth.
10. This is the first year that you won’t get to go trick-or-treating and you are handling it well. (Our cut-off is 6th grade). You’re still planning to dress up in your Bionic Booger Boy costume -- for the 3rd year in a row.
* * * * * * *
We are one month away from his 13th birthday. A teenager!! I'm trying to think of some extra touches (big or little, but probably little) to make this birthday extra special. Any ideas for celebrating entrance into the teenage years?
