Eight.

Oh, the years are just FLYING by. I know it is cliche to say it, but really, the boys are growing up so fast, it seems like sometimes their feet are visibly bigger from day to day.

I have reveled in this last year. A four and a seven year old, and in June, it became clear that I now had a five and a seven year old, and now...a five and an eight year old. Eight. I can't even type the word out without feeling it is just incorrect. It doesn't even look like a proper word to me at the moment.

So, yesterday was the big day. Max had the kind of birthday party he had been hoping for, a day long fest of fairly low-key activities, a small group of some of his favorite people in close proximity. Our friends Fergus, Effie, Craig and Gillian are here for a visit from Victoria BC, and we spent a relaxed day with them which included two of our favorite restaurants, a tour of a new park, some running around in a nearby playground, cake construction and eating, the building of new Lego sets and of course, presents (the highlight being the last one opened, a big Yamaha keyboard from Grandma and Grandpa).

The morning cake making (I was a bit too generous with the batter, but they look sort of pretty all overflowing and such).



Morning present opening ceremony.





A quick stop at Goethe Park (en route to breakfast).



Lula Cafe, where we had an unfortunately long wait—it was Columbus Day, so it was not just Max's birthday, but also a national holiday we had to compete with, and Lula was filled with patrons feasting on their day off. Plus, it was Canadian Thanksgiving, so there was much to celebrate. The long wait left us with some very overly hungry children, however, so it was a bit more stressful than we would have liked it to be, but overall, it was a pretty good breakfast. (Note: it was mid afternoon by the time we were actually seated, so calling it breakfast is a bit of a stretch.)



Craig got a fancy mocha drink.



Otto spent most of his morning playing Fergus' Lego Batman game. He really really loves it.



We finally made it to the new park in Palmer Square. It was completely different than we had imagined it would be, there were no swings or climbing structures, and Gillian joked it was a Waldorf Park. But it was actually a very peaceful beautiful place, and the kids got to run around, and we got to sit around, and it was pretty good.







Late night present opening ceremony, which included the present which was taller than Otto.



The very fancy keyboard not only boasts hundreds of different voices and sounds, but will also play songs, including "The Entertainer," which happens to be Max's favorite song at the moment. It will actually show you the keys to hit if you want to play along, and you can slow down or speed up the tempo so that you can follow it (or just play it so fast that it causes everyone to laugh hysterically). It was a total hit, and we called Grandma and Grandpa to thank them. Max was too busy playing to talk, but Otto talked to them for a long time.



The Leaning Tower of Pisa cake.



Max and Mario and cake.



After the fall (yes, Max huffed and puffed and blew the tower down).



Otto's cake and accompanying Fiat (only Italian cars were allowed on the Plaza).



While Gillian, Effie and I all drove to the costume shop, the boys all assembled the new Indiana Jones planes which Otto gave Max for his birthday.



Not pictured: we ordered an astonishing number of California rolls from Hachi's kitchen, which were eagerly consumed by all, but most quickly by Max, who ate at least 7 rolls in less than five minutes. We are pretty certain he liked his birthday dinner (or was close to starving at the moment of its arrival).

We all sat down to watch the end of Indiana Jones: The Temple of Doom together, and we realized that none of us had actually seen the "scary weird bit" in the middle, and somehow, we all managed to shout and laugh our way through the entire action sequence that consumes the last 45 minutes of the movie. It was great fun to hear the kids squealing with a mixture of delight and, well, horror, and the adults joining in. A communal, highly vocal viewing of Indiana Jones is imperative for maximum enjoyment for all.

Seven has been such a fun year. Max has exploded with his drawing, with his comic books, with the piano, with his sudden understanding of things that I thought were too complicated to discuss (what a silly thought). He has developed quite an interest in maps and countries and flags and languages and landmarks. He wants to visit Italy to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, to tour Venice and see a town with only canals for streets, to eat pizza in Rome and visit the remains of the people in Pompeii. He wants to see the Eiffel Tower and the Space Needle and Mt. Rushmore. Obviously, we should put him in charge of planning all future vacations.

His interest in cars has led him to be curious about different times and what life was like in those years. He will spend a long time poring over old books with his Papa, asking about the black and white photographs of various landmarks.

He became attached to one particular stuffed animal this year: a little lorikeet we got at the Lincoln Park Zoo store in April and which has barely left his side in the ensuing months. And not only was his bird well cared for and well loved, but he made sure that Otto's puffin (purchased at the same store on the same day) was also with us at every turn.

Recent months have been filled with a lot of Harry Potter (partly coinciding with the movie release of The Half Blood Prince, but mostly inspired by a May visit to the Museum of Science and Industry's Harry Potter exhibit). We've read the first three Harry Potter books (we're halfway through number 4) and watched all the movies and even made a return visit to the exhibit at the MSI. We've played with wands and made our own potions and cast our own spells. We are eagerly awaiting the Lego Harry Potter video game, due out this winter.

Max is getting so fast and strong on his bike that Otto and I can barely keep up with him. He can easily cross the monkey bars and has so much energy to run (often just back and forth in the house at around 10 pm, probably to fight sleep).

He is conscious of his eating habits (and a bit critical of Otto's, actually, which drives Otto—and the rest of us—a bit batty), and he is careful about brushing his teeth. After a really horrible dental experience in which he had to be put under in order to pull a tooth (just after he turned seven), he has been extremely careful with his remaining teeth, even suggesting that we carry around toothpaste and toothbrushes with us so that we can brush after a trip to Starbucks. (We have not actually done this, but I thought it was pretty funny that he suggested it.)

And perhaps, most importantly, he has become so much more relaxed in the last year, sort of settling into his own personality with an understanding about himself that is amazing to watch.

Max and Otto are still sleeping this morning, cuddled up together under the covers (it is unseasonably and quite unreasonably cold here at the moment, and they wrap their arms and legs around each other in pretzel like fashion). It is only in the last few weeks that they have been able to wake up slightly and realize I am not right there next to them in bed, but be okay cuddling up together for warmth and comfort. They will sometimes stay in bed for a few hours after I get up, and perhaps they will wander in the room where I am doing yoga, and they will pass by, bidding me good morning as they make their way to the living room. It is an amazing thing to see, how they are coming into their independence (a bit slower than may be conventionally expected, admittedly), and it feels so right, so much like they have come to this place in their own way, in the perfect time for them. Max seems more mature to me every day, and I feel both happy for this and a bit startled to realize how quickly the time passes. And now, looking at the clock, I am startled again at how quickly the morning is passing, and I must wrap up now.

Happy birthday, my darling Max. I think it was a good one, and I wish you a wonderful year.