How you know your child is “almost 10”:

• the thought of chewing gum (since we can’t have gum or soda until we’re 10) is in his mind every day
• he likes to get sweaty and doesn’t think it’s a bad thing anymore
• he is standing up for himself  with the boy in school who has been verbally beating him down all year long
• he is a HUGE help around the house and with his sisters, and his tolerance level is amazing
• and finally, tonight, he wanted to enjoy the thunderstorm that was approaching, BECAUSE he’s ten!