Dylan Is 11!

I blinked and now I have an eleven year old! A tween! The cliché holds true when they say, “The days are long, but the years are short.” Sometimes I long for the baby snuggles, the toddler ringlets, how he would call me, “eh-ma-ma” or said, “bébé” in an almost French accent or say “thank you” as “dank coooo” and what has stuck to this day as “Grandpa” is permanently “Baba.”

Just like how childhood is fleeting as a parent, I am reckoning my own mortality in my [gulp] fortieth year. In some ways it feels like life is playing at fast-forward speed and I am frantically searching for the remote to press pause. However; presently life is beautiful and the future is bright. I love how I am getting to learn the intricacies of my kid’s personality. Dylan is both cautious yet a go-getter. He wants his school to start class elections so he can run as class president on the platform of “Make School Fun Again.” [We aren’t MAGA people so the adoption of this slogan is both amusing and surprising to us haha]! He loves gaming and recently has taken interest in skateboarding and hockey. He likes to illustrate and write books. He has an entrepreneurial spirit having “businesses” with his brother, one In publishing with his school chums and a fake YouTube account called the “Button Smashers [it’s deliberately offline and will stay that way for several years minimum as kids and social media should not mix]!

More than his accomplishments, Dylan is a good person. He is determined to face his anxieties, works hard at school and has the best laugh I have ever heard. He is a wonderful friend, brother and son. We love you! Happy 11th!

To celebrate, there are simple family get-togethers and a sleepover party with a couple friends. His cup is so full! He talked about the “amazing” gifts he received from us- a SpongeBob Switch game and guitar pedal hook up to his amp. It wasn’t extravagant by any stretch so his expressed contentment melted my heart. He loved his gaming, pizza, sleepover party with two friends and his brother. Gone are the days of the cute themed party, but ultimately it’s about the birthday kid’s wishes! I have no doubt this sleepover party will be one for the books!

To conclude, last year I looked 10 years back on his 10th. This year, let’s look back to his first birthday. We absolutely adore you Dylan Archer!