I just re-read my post from last year about Kase and while a lot of it hasn't changed (his love for shoes and sports), he just seems so, so grown up lately. Here are a few thoughts on Kase at age 8.
Kase declared that it has been his best birthday ever, which is saying a lot during the quarantine! He isn't able to have a party with friends and extended family yet, but he still says it's been the best day. And that's the nature of Kase- he's pretty easy to please: feed him coffee cake, play basketball or go rollerblading with him, let him chill on his iPad for a bit and that's about all it takes to keep him happy. He couldn't be more thrilled that there's no school on his birthday!
Truly, he's just not at all sad about school being out for the year. We even told him there was a chance there might not be Little League this summer and he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "ok". He really likes being home and having the almost undivided attention of his siblings. It makes him so, so happy when they will play with him and take an interest in his things. He and Kael have had fun recreating WWE moves and Kylee and Kase have had the best time playing on the trampoline together lately.
He LOVES Pokémon cards right now. I'm sure it will be a short lived phase, but right now it's something fun that he can talk about with Kael, too. We sorted cards all day!
He cares more about clothes and shoes (and socks!!) than anyone else in this family. He was so excited about all of his new things.
He looks so tall!!!
He really likes to do his hair but he likes it even better when Kylee styles it for him. Partially because it looks great but mostly because he likes it when she spends time with him.
He's my wildest wild card. He is physical, he is competitive, he is tough but he has the sweetest soft side. He picks flowers for me every single day and is so proud to give them. He often surprises me with his sensitivity. He got really sad the other day when he rollerbladed by a friend's house and he fell down and the friend laughed. He continues to ask Kent to lay with him until he falls asleep and Kent always obliges- it's hard to turn down a sweet voice asking in the dark,
"Daddy, stay with me?" We know how quickly the years pass now that we have a 15 year old in the house- it's nice to have a "little" one who still needs us sometimes.
Kase has a huge group of friends so this quarantine thing has brought his social life to a halt and it was hard for him at the beginning but now it just seems sort of normal. Lately he's been riding bikes around (from a safe distance) with the neighbor kids and that seems like enough for him. I know he's anxious to have buddies over to jump on the trampoline with him and start backyard football games up again, but for now he's content.
The thing Kase wants most in life right now is a dog. He's been talking about it so much lately and I hope I always remember how he goes out of his way to pet every dog that comes anywhere near him when we are on walks or out in the front yard. We're lucky that nearly every family member and close neighbor friend has a dog so he always seems to find one to play with!
I love everything about Kase at age 8 and am excited to spend the day celebrating him!
