Happy 9th Birthday, Henry!

Happy 9th Birthday, Henry!

Dearest Henry,

We are so grateful to be celebrating your ninth trip around the sun.

We had such a fun year together! Our vacations started with a Spring Break cruise to Mexico and Belize with our whole family. You loved everything about cruising! You climbed the rock wall, swam in the pool, made a friend on the ship, and especially loved eating at the buffet for every single meal. For most of the week you compared the cruise ship to Golden Corral and said that Golden Corral was ahead because of its chocolate fountain. On the last night, the cruise had a chocolate fountain, too!

You also had your first RV trip: we traveled to Big Bend. You loved climbing all around inside the RV, as well as riding your bike around the RV parks.

Your boogie boarding continued during our Thanksgiving trip to Florida and our MLK weekend trip to San Diego.

Your new things this year included Star Wars. You chose a light saber from Malaysia as your number one Christmas present. We have also been watching all the movies in chronological order. Additionally, you started playing (and loving) Minecraft. And Pokemon cards have been a huge part of your life. We have also been playing Monopoly, Life, and Slamwich together. Finally, you started scouts this year, and you are comfortable sleeping with your friends in the scout tent on family campouts.

Your best friend is still Giovanny. You bring him and Santiago to my office for lunch nearly every Friday. You always plan your Field Studies with Giovanny. Soon you will be heading to Pokemaniacs together!

A really sad and hard thing happened this year: our beloved Hoss died after 11 years of living with us. We were so lucky that he lived to such an old age, but it didn’t make his death any easier. He meant a lot to you.

On the lighter side, here were some of the hilarious things you said this year:

• “Imagine aliens on the moon saying it’s a half Earth today. Or, it’s a full Earth.”
• “I am technically a super-hero. I have one super power: hope.”
• Mom to Henry while playing Monopoly: “Look at you, Donald Trump!” Henry: “That’s not a thing you say to your son!!!”
• Henry at the drive-in after feeing sick: “Dad gives us headaches and mom takes them away.”
• “Why did the fart cross the road? To get some more gas.”

This was the year you became the strongest tickler in our family. Dad and I both had to surrender!

We love you so much, Henry! We are so thankful you are part of our lives. You make our lives brighter.