Happy Birthday, Elliott!

Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!

Oh my goodness.  That is ELEVEN birthday wishes for this boy, today, on his birthday.

Elliott, you were born bright and early on a Tuesday morning, and are celebrating your 11th birthday on a Tuesday as well.  I remember the day you were born.  It was exciting and scary; emotional and overwhelming all at the same time.  We were so excited to get you here, and so desperately terrified once you got here.  Well, I was terrified.  Dad?  He is always pretty cool.

Now, all these years later, the day you were born and our nervousness about whether or not you were going to breathe and be okay have faded and mom and dad, we are left with the joy (and sometimes frustration) of watching you grow up.

You my boy, you are such a good boy!  I love to watch you grow and learn.  I love to watch you laugh and dance.  I love to watch you sit with the grown-ups at dinner and try to figure out everything that we are talking about.  I love to watch you play soccer and basketball and talk to you about the books you are reading.  I LOVE that I can give you the money and sent you and your brother's into the 7-11 without me and everything will work out okay.  I love that you are learning from your mistakes and making good choices in your life.

I am blown away by how smart you are.  How kind you CAN BE to your brothers, and how much you love babies - there aren't many 11 year old's who dive for baby cousins the second they enter a room to hold and cuddle and get them to laugh.  Baby Brady is pretty lucky to have you as his oldest cousin.

You are getting so tall.  You are getting so mature.  Now, as I gush with all these platitudes about how great you are - I still remember the day a couple weeks ago when, in a momentary lapse in judgement, and a little out of spite, you destroyed all your brothers mine craft homes and worlds and started a brotherly rumble that took two weeks to earn all the screens back.    And, I saw those elbows you threw in your basketball game the other Saturday.  Yeah, I remember that, too.  I'm like an elephant, I never forget.

In a year, you are going to be a deacon and have priesthood responsibilities in our church.  A few years after that, you will be driving and then, in a short sneeze after that, you will be gone.  Whether a mission or college or eventually both, you will jump away from me and it will be so exciting for you.  Being your mom up to this point, it's felt like you will be mine forever.  Something about eleven though - it feels like I've turned the corner and my time with you is S L O W L Y ...starting to shrink.

I love you (and your brothers) so much.  I feel so lucky everyday that I get to be your mom.  That I get to watch you grow, be your chauffeur and your teacher and your cook.  As sad as it feels for me to see you growing up sometimes, I just cannot wait to see all that is in front of you.

You, Elliott Moyle Howden, have a bright future ahead of you.