Day 16: WILL

Oh Will, my sweet young jedi. Will is probably the sweetest kid you'll meet. He's kind to people because he wants to be kind, he's helpful when you ask him to help with something, and he's so quick to smile, I love that joy. He's super impressive on Super Mario as well - it's kind of frustrating to me how good he is at age 8 when I still still struggle to get Luigi (I'll never be good enough to be Mario) to jump onto a brick more often than is acceptable. When he was a toddler, he would sit between Abby and me on the couch as we played Super Mario and Dr Mario in Arkansas, and I don't think we realized just how much he was learning then, because he's a total rockstar now and I think the Christmases of quiet observation really played a part in his skills. Now he tells me what I should do and how to overcome obstacles and how to finish levels - I learn so much from him!

Also, Will's crescent moon eyes when he smiles - heartmeltingly precious to me. AND he wears bowties like a boss.

Will is just so unassuming, he just kind of goes through life doing really great things and working hard at things - and not drawing very much attention to any of his accomplishments, it seems. Like, he wants to show some cool trick he's figured out, but he also feels good showing his brother the trick and calling that a good audience. And then when you ask when he figured out how to do something, he kind of just shrugs like it's just something he's always known. Will's just got a gentle heart, he's such a lover, and, truly so kind. I really, really love that he is still so quick to come give me a hug when I visit and act like he loves me - don't ever stop, Will!

xoxo!