to my son on his 10th birthday

Gatsby, GB, Geebs, #60: you are ten years old today. I’m currently writing this on the 12-hour plane ride to Hawaii. We’re taking a family trip to Oahu to celebrate Duke and you and Flippy’s birthdays… so I’d say you’re already off to a pretty great 10th year.

From repeatedly hitting me in the head while playing your mini hoop in the living room to shouting “Kobe!” anytime an object leaves your hand, you continued to be enamored with basketball this year. Basketball and Nikes.

Flippy has taken you to multiple 76ers games this year and you got even some fist bumps from Joel Embiid and Robert Covington.

You played for The Vikings in the Manchester-Springetts League this winter. In your very first game, you hit a buzzer beater at the half. That may have been your season peak, but this first year taught you a lot about skills and sportsmanship. We also learned that you don’t like when people call your name from the sideline and instead preferred to be called “Number 60.” I hope to get to watch you play for many more seasons.

If anything has the power to dethrone basketball as your most favorite thing, it might be Fortnite. You became a real gamer this year… actually playing the games instead of just watching other people on YouTube playing.

Fourth grade has been a big year for you socially. Between basketball and Fortnite, you seem to have found some of your people and it’s so fun to watch you blossom. You also got a phone for Christmas, so you’re firmly making your way into American tweendom. You “mew.” You call me “bruh” and say I’m “doing too much.”

You wanted to paint your room black this year and you’re really good about keeping it clean and orderly (OCD? Possibly.)