How A Boy Turns 8

You sit on the couch and make your brothers point at you for the picture and to mark you big day. 

You open your gifts quickly.  

You look like a completely big boy next to your cake with an 8.  You have big adult teeth in your smile, consider your Dad your hero, still give your Momma hugs (but mostly just eat her food), and at times you may be found lounging on the couch reading a book.  

You tell your Mom to make a brown and green cake, and then you decorate the rest of it! 

You have a few of your favorite people over to celebrate.  

And you even let a sweet girl attend.  

After cake, you have your Dad put war paint all over your face with your friends.  Then you pose and look mean.  But you're still the sweetest 8 year old ever. 

And your day ends as you drive off in the sunset with many Dads.  Off to battle.  To fight for future boyhood. To brave outdoor laser tag, dodge bullets, roll on the ground, and feel this is so much different than turning 4 or 5.  

This is 8.