Somehow even in a pandemic time is flying and Jiggs is now 8.

Jiggs, it has been a whirlwind year for you. When I wrote this blog for you last year, you were just starting on the swim team. At the end of the season you had done a few meets and even won “most improved swimmer” for your team. You worked hard for Josh, and genuinely loved to swim. After the pandemic, when we could get you back in the pool, you said “ah mommy my heart needs to swim”. And, now you’re back in the pool and loving it. I love “watching” you do what you love. (Even if watching just entails drop off and pick up for practice right now, and can’t see you in the pool!) I love your smiles from it. I love even more that you are forging your way here as a Raw and doing this on your own!

But of course, even when you do things on your own, you return to softball. I am stunned at your improvement this year. From getting no hits in last year’s states, to getting THREE doubles this year, I’m just in awe of your work. I’m also impressed at your catching and fielding. You’ve worked hard, so enjoy the fruits of your labor to go be on the 10U dome ball this season.

School has also been fun to watch. Your reading went through the roof this last year, and I’m excited to see where this takes us. You’ve been learning and working so hard, the sky shall be the limit for you.

Lastly, watching you continue to come into your own in our family. You are so very quick-witted and fast with your comebacks on your sisters. You keep all of us on our toes, and make us laugh almost nightly at dinner. Watching your sister play softball recently, I hear this little voice “Come on three-five, you got this”. You attend a lot of games, and you still regularly find some time and voice to cheer them on. And Yes baby girl, they will attend what they can of yours too. Your sister caught some great shots of you, and we’ll see what we can do for basketball and swimming.

I’m so proud of you Jiggs. You have really had to learn to work hard this year, and fight for some gains. But then you did make those gains. You are a great member of this family, and we are so excited to watch where 8 takes us.