Happy 11th to you D!

Signs that it may be a special day for someone in particular in the M8 house?

Licking the beaters for a sugar cookie dough "pizza crust" before breakfast.

A chocolate chip pancake...with your first initial embedded in it no less...as big as your head.

Opening a few of your favorite things.

Dinner at the restaurant of your choice to enjoy your favorite (for two years running) meal of California roll and seasoned fries.

And of course there is the restaurant cake and gong song before the real cake and birthday song at home...

I look at him and wonder where the cheeky toddler who demanded to be carried everywhere went.  Suddenly he's in the middle of another growth spurt and constantly in motion.

But there are a few things that haven't changed over the years.

1). Legos.  Sure we've run the course of race cars, Ninjago, Star Wars, Harry Potter and now Avengers.  But putting bricks together makes this kid smile like not much else.

2). That smile.  It still slays me.  I'm pretty sure that smile comes from the very core of his soul.  And I can't help but smile to when he flashes it.  For that matter few of us can.

3). He likes candy, but his real sweet tooth hankering is for fruit.  This is his fourth year running (maybe more) on fruit pizza.  I still give some of the credit for his amazing eating habits to Mama Anna and Papa Joseph.

4). His hugs.  They are the standard for which all amazing hugs should be measured.  You KNOW you've been hugged if this kid gets his arms around you.  Even on my yuckiest days, a hug from this kid brings at least a brief smile.

Happy birthday to the one recognized for zest and enthusiasm in class last year.  Those two words summarize your attitude toward life 90% of the time.  I love you to the moon and back...or even better, in your words, "I love you from my heart to your soul."