Little Brother is nine today.

Photo credit:  Middle Sister

Here we are as he gets his Bear Scout patch at last weekend’s Blue and Gold Dinner. (Pardon my apron; I was still “working” at this point in the evening.)

His nickname has been “Monkey” ever since he was a baby. Lately, he’s been embarrassed to have me call him that in public. But then he snagged a part in the high school’s spring musical: The Wizard of Oz. He and Middle Sister will both be multitasking as Munchkins and Flying Monkeys.

I get to call him “Monkey” all I want now.

Happy Birthday to my Bear Scout, my soccer player, my basketball star, my fellow Notre Dame sports fan, my reading buddy, my runner, my singer, my enthusiastic, dramatic, exasperating, energetic, crazy-haired NINE-YEAR-OLD!