Man of the House

 This little man turned 8!  Holy cow 8!  I am so super excited and so is he.  He will be baptized, he starts working on his Faith in God, and he starts SCOUTS!!  YES!!   Super stoked!  He has already started his Faith in God, and has been working so hard on it.  It has been so fun watching him have such a desire to finish it.  Scouts was on break for the month of July, so he is very excited to start next week.

One of his Faith in God requirements was to play with a baby or younger sibling through games and songs.  When I went to check on them, Ani had Ikaia at the chess table and was trying to teach him how to play....yes, my 17 month old....Ani would tell him, "This piece moves in an L 1, 2 3." while holding his hand and moving it where it belonged.   After he let go, Ikaia would just bang the heck out of the piece repeatedly.  Then Ani would take his hand and guide him again.  He did this several times, never getting upset.  I finally told him that maybe he should find something Ikaia might enjoy before he ruins our table.  So he went and got him all ready for church, sang songs with him, and was just really caring of all his needs.

Ani's mind is always going.  It has been interesting hearing what he has to say now that Daddy isn't here.  He understands so much, and we have had quite a few discussions trying to help him deal with Daddy being gone.  

He loves non-fiction books, especially any natural occurences:  lightening, volcanoes, astronomy.....  This past year I showed him the adult reference section at the library.  Needless to say, it is now the kid's favorite  spot.  His mind never ceases to amaze me, and it has been so fun watching him learn.

He loves to swim, bike, run, and really anything outside.  He has just gotten interested in the Wii, especailly during these blazing hot months.  He really enjoys chess, him and the other kids could play all day....seriously...all day.  He likes to help me in the kitchen, and I can often find him stirring what ever I am cooking.  He will definetely be unafraid of the kitchen, just like Daddy.

He is a really good boy, and still has a tender heart.  I love him so much, even though he is too big to be a little cuddler now.  I am always super excited if he wants to sit next to me on the couch....he thinks I am crazy....but I love him and love to harrass him.  I will get my hugs from him some how, even if it means chasing him around the house.  Happy Birthday Ani!!!  We love you tons!

 Ani at 3 1/2.

Ani's 4th birthday.

 And here he is 4 years later.

 Seriously, he is so excited about that Faith in God.

 He doesn't like taking pictures, he didn't want to look at the camera.

 He had a pirate cake for his birthday party with his friends and cousins.

And a cookie cake on his birthday....yum yum.