The Ever Aloof Eight Year Old

Eight seems to be the age of no pictures. The Rhino wants none taken and for me to get one I practically have to beg and then I get some weird pose or something. The Rhino has grown by amazing leaps and bounds in the past 2 months. Two major milestones that I didn't ever think we would get to have actually happened.

The first was a reading milestone. Because of The Rhinos ADD and his learning issues with reading(I'm still not sure what they are I just know that he has to work so hard it's painful) I have been waiting patiently for the light to go on. Well it has finally happened. I don't remember the exact moment when I heard him read anything special but I remember this gradual love of reading starting to show up. He started wanting to read to me, nothing like this had ever happened. I know that this year when he had to take the standardized tests at school he hardly batted an eye. Now tonight he just finished the first chapter(EVER) in a chapter book. HUGE this is HUGE. He can read the menu at the Chinese Restaurant, he can read what is going to be on TV, he can read the little sign on the machine in the women's bathroom that says tampons(although I'm not too worried, he asked me if they were cigarettes). The world is a brighter place for me and The Rhino today, he is starting to read and I'm starting to realise that he will actually be ok.

The second milestone is something he might be embarrassed about but which we are so excited about that I think I will spare him any chance of embarrasment and let you wonder what it could possibly be.........

So not to leave him out I have included several pictures of The Rhino and hope that by just looking at him you can tell all of his very important and wonderful achievements that have happened recently.