Ann Curry Profile: Boys...and milestones.

Gold Rush days is a end of school tradition for fourth grade. Griffin was a chef, with his miner friends.

Last Thursday I took my younger son Griffin to his favorite pizza place for lunch. We started going there when he was just a tiny preschooler. He always asked to get a slice and visit the duck, Petey at the flower shop next door then feed the fish at the garden store. Thursday was his last day fourth grade and next year he will begin his last year of elementary school. :(

Wow, how did that happen so quick? It seemed those, sniff, toddler years were long. I remember people saying that they couldn't believe he hadn't started school yet. He was my constant companion forever and older brother had begun school four years before him. Well, he started school and BAM, it's almost over and on to jr high soon. He's really loved school and got involved with student council and a new school club that helps others called the Buzz Club. I'm amazed all he's done on his own.

Why is it each new grade seems to pass more quickly than the next? I can barely type this it's so upsetting to me.

Grif at his Spring piano recital.

With pal Liam above.

Best friend Nicholas and Griffin being lifted by their very tall and wonderful teacher, Mr Bolin on their last day. He loved fourth grade and I think it was my favorite too.

Now on to the really big news...My Jackson graduated from 8th grade! Sorry tissue break here. Unbelievably, he will start high school in 2 short months. He has four years left with us and it's too much for me to even go there.

The kid.

And some of my favorite shots of him...

Reading with Dad. He has always loved books.

In Sonoma. I love his little sandals here.

Watching his first bouncy house inflate in the backyard for his 2nd birthday.

Drawing pumpkins at Halloween.

He always loved sitting by the fire doing legos in his jammies. Below preschool graduation.

Third grade rocker for Halloween with no front teeth! With buddy Vedaank.

Vedaank and Jack now.

Jack with his fifth grade heritage project.

With pal DJ in fourth grade.

And with DJ now!

But this is supposed to be a happy post and as a mom I just want to say how proud I am of this guy. He is the kindest and sweetest 13 year old I know. He has had his issues and we have the usual struggles.

Jackson is not a sports star, but he has a sport he loves very much, tennis. He is not a straight A student either, but he aced his exam to get into the honors biology class he so badly wanted and also got into Geometry. We are so happy, but what we are most proud of is the kind of person he is. He is a guys who smiles at old people and helps our elderly neighbors, make cards for his grandmas and regularly hugs and kisses his grandparents. I'm not sure if this will last, but I think it will since he's already at that embarrassed age.. He plays too much computer and reads too many comics. However, he has the best sense of humor and makes me laugh every daily.