Dear James, we are so grateful for your full-on enthusiasm for everything that we had to originally strong-arm you into doing. That may sound like a backhanded comment but it is said with oodle and oodles of love along with a big smile. It is just the way you are: still our 360 kid who is fully cold or burning hot to every idea. We still often refer to this trait in you as "Little Bubbers," your nickname from when you were a baby. While you are initially hesitant to do something new, go anywhere, or eat something, it is difficult to find something you do not like. In the end, you often say, "This was the best day/trip/meal/visit/event," which makes the struggle to engage you worth the effort. You are fully in the moment and that is what makes you a terrific and authentic kid.
You love friends and family -- giving tight, full-body hugs when greeting those we haven't seen in a while --, anything athletic (especially football in the yard, long bike rides on the trail, climbing at the gym, soccer at recess, and hiking), anything related to video games (Ace Force on your Kindle, MineCraft Dungeons on the PlayStation), and listening to books on tape (Wings of Fire). You are always moving, singing, or making sound effects and can often be found petting the cat. You continue to have great singing pitch, an impressive ear for languages, and are skilled with the violin, which you often play like a guitar.
I love that I can still swoop you up in my arms and swing you around while you hold onto my waist with your strong legs. Although (and I don't know that you realize this yet), at the rate that you are growing, I don't think that I will be able to do this much longer. I imagine you will still be a snuggly person throughout your life.
Alma remains your best friend, first confidant, and partner in all things silly. While this year has created some distance (physically, since you don't go to the same school so you miss out on that extended time together before and after school; emotionally, as Alma is transitioning into a young lady), you two are still close -- connecting via email, chatting through dinner, and spending loads of time together on the weekends. The two of you can still sit at the dining room table for hours, chatting, laughing, and sharing a snack or hot cocoa.
The pandemic has not been easy on you, causing you some additional anxiety (especially about being around crowds), making you miss the Dragon Gym martial arts program, and canceling school events like concerts, plays, and overnight class trips. Sometimes you lament how your childhood is being affected but then always express an understanding that so many people have struggled in much more significant ways. In the coming years, I look forward to traveling with you (Scotland is at the top of your list, due to the country report you recently completed), finding new adventures and activities to explore (bikecamping?), and attempting to fill in some of the gaps that were caused by the pandemic.
Dad, Alma, and I love you so much and are so pleased that you are part of our family.
