This past weekend we got to celebrate Leighton’s 8th birthday with plenty of water balloons and ice cream. And while his arrival 8 years ago was a bit dramatic….5 weeks early, 41 hours of labor, 12 days in the NICU with bilateral pneumothroaxes, the past 8 years have been a blessing watching this boy grow up and become who he is. Leighton has a super tender heart and cares for everyone around him. He let his brothers and sister help him open his gifts yesterday because he knew how much they all like to open gifts. He has taken each of his siblings under his wings and loved on them and been an amazing example to them.
Leighton’s love for books is not a surprise knowing both Clint and I, but that said, I’ve been known to say many times this summer “Leighton please put your books away for now and go find something else to do”. He loves to learn and loves to play.
And while he may look a lot like Clint on the outside, he very much acts like a version of myself. Clint will often comment on how he feels like he is talking to a younger version of me and when I tell my mom stories she just laughs and says it sounds familiar.
Leighton has made it a joy to be a mommy…we’ve had our tough spots (those crazy 3 and 4 year old years, but even then he has been fun, goofy, and such a sweet boy to be a mommy to. I’m excited to watch him continue to grow and develop into an amazing young man.
Hiking Mommy 