James is 8

 Jamesy boy is eight years old! 

Here he is, 9 pounds 6 ounces and so much blond hair. 

And here he is on his birthday by the sign I put up from our primary presidency.

Usually we have a monthly stake baptism day, but during the pandemic our stake has been letting families choose the day. So we thought, why not his birthday?

The meeting limits were lifted last month, so we were very happy to invite all the Richards and Deardeuff Utah family members and his CTR 7 class members and some of our dear friends and neighbors. Others were able to watch on Zoom. 

I hope he is able to be blessed by now having the Holy Ghost to comfort and guide him. I hope we can help show him the quiet, sweet and gentle ways the spirit can help him now in his life. That's why I think these little kids are baptized at 8, not because they choose it.

After ward, we had everyone over for food and cake. We set up tables and chairs in our garage, because we don't have much shade any more and it was so hot that day.

Here he is either telling people something funny, or trying to lead the singing.

He wanted a chocolate cake. JB had to take me a picture of me with it, because let me confess I was obsessed with this cake for a couple weeks. I had done a story for the radio with Courtney Rich (Cake By Courtney), and I wanted to try one of her from-scratch deluxe recipes. It took days of steps. First stir up the cake layers, then freeze them, then make the filling with many steps including gelatin and heavy cream then chill that, then the chopping-melting-ganache-stirring-whipping up frosting. Then say a prayer while assembling it.

It was very good.

Back to Jamesy -- he has always been a boy with quick reactions and emotions that are close to the surface. He screamed for the first 12 weeks of his life but then became such a cuddle bug. At four years old, he was called "Angry Richards" at his brothers' soccer games. In his own soccer games at age five, he growled at the other team and called them the bad guys. Once I realize what he's trying to say underneath the rough spots, I remember how precious he is. He loves his back scratched in bed at night. He fights with Andrew but then insists he come down from the top bunk to be with him. He's improving in his reading every night, and is such a creative drawer.  He still loves Batman, Spider-Man, and dinosaurs. 

Oh, he found his presents five weeks ago in the attic behind two mattresses and under five blankets. I re-hid them and the wait felt so long but he was still really happy to get them.

James got to go the day before his birthday to his cousin Phin's baptism. Here are the four cousins close in age.