Today you turn seven-years old, and I haven't quite figured out how that has happened. When did you turn six? Or five, for that matter? I'm sure we've skipped a few years in between 2003 and 2010.
It just seems impossible to me that seven years ago my life changed. And now we have YOU. This amazingly smart, energetic boy who I can't imagine my life without.
Seven years ago, I never would have been able to guess what was going to come next. I never could have imagined what you were going to have to face as a baby. I never thought that you would be sick. I was healthy, Daddy was healthy - YOU would be healthy by default!
Well, default eventually happened, didn't it? Who would look at you now and think that you had ever been so sick? Who would look at you now and guess that there's a scar on your stomach that tells such an amazing story of your first few months of life?
This past year has been full of so many changes in your life. You moved on to first grade and have blown me away with how smart you are. You love school, you love learning, and you love science most of all (You finally have some of ME in you!).
You aren't afraid of new things, although you DID tell me that perhaps you'll like salad starting when you're EIGHT because SEVEN still seems like salad isn't such a good idea.
I hope you won't kill me later for mentioning this, but I love that you still want to go to sleep every night covered in your (Dad's old) baby blanket with your stuffed monkey, George, hugged in your arms. You are slowly pulling away from some of that stuff; George doesn't go EVERYWHERE with you like he did last year. But you still like to have him at bed time, and I love it.
I think Benjamin is so lucky to have you as his big brother. You have been amazingly patient with his hitting, pushing, biting and general terrorizing. You get that he's younger and is still learning what's right and wrong. It amazes me how you just let him roll all over you and think it's funny. And when Ben wakes up in the morning, you want to be first into his room. When he cries, you're right there trying to help calm him down.
I'm really enjoying watching your relationship with Daddy grow, too. You started Tiger Cubs (Boy Scouts) this year and the two of you have gotten to do all kinds of cool things without me and Benjamin. I'm glad for the time you spend with just Daddy because he is an amazing father and you will learn so much from him.
I'm also really glad that you still think I'm pretty cool. If I make silly faces in front of your friends, you still think I'm funny and laugh at me. I'm still allowed to sing you to sleep every night, and we still get to snuggle and cuddle on the sofa while watching TV. I'm already dreading the day when I won't be so smart, so funny, so cool. I hope it never comes.
When we measured your height the other night, you were so excited to see that you've grown 3/4" since June. You are now 49 1/4" tall (that's 4', 1-1/4") and I can see that you're going to outstrip us all in the height department. You are so long and lean; watching you walk is sometimes funny because your legs are so skinny, and your feet seem so big...you trip just walking (again, you're just like ME in some ways!).
You aren't into sports so much. You're more content to read a book or play your DSi than you are to run around. But if we turn you loose outside, you'll run and chase Benjamin, play on the swing set, swim in the pool...we just have to remind you that you NEED to be outside burning off some energy. Guitar lessons have become what you want most, and the two lessons you've had already leave you talking about the guitar for days.
You are such an interesting and fun kid to know, Anthony. Getting to be your Mama is one of the best parts of my life. I have loved seeing more of your personality emerge this past year. I can't wait to watch you grow into a young man...just don't do it too fast, OK?
Love, Mama
No comments:
Post a Comment