My Seven Year Old

Andrew, yesterday you turned 7. And something about 7 screams BIG KID!  Even though you are very tall, six years old still made me think I had a little boy.  But seven is different.  School full time, friends you talk to on the phone, obsessed with Mario and basketball.  The only thing tying you to a small child is that I have to cut up some of your food since you are missing your front teeth.

You love school and have a lot of friends.  You favorite, of course, is still gym and recess.  Although we are finding that you enjoy math and are doing well at reading.  I know I shouldn’t be, I everyday I am still surprised when I hear you reading.  No more spelling around you to keep a secret.

You are helpful and polite.  Very helpful and polite.  And I pray this stage never ever ever ever ends.  It was something your teachers also pointed out to us at conferences and to me, that's way more important that how high you are on your math facts or what reading group you are in.

Yet, you are still all boy and can get rowdy, ornery, loud, and carried away at times.  You currently have a Nerf basketball hoop hanging up that you are practically obsessed with. You are constantly shooting hoops…. all.the.time.  Even when someone is standing at the door.  Even when we’ve asked you to come to the dinner table Even when it’s time for bed… you try to convince us you’ll come as soon as you make your last shot.

You can eat! I’m nervous about what you are going to be like as a teenager since you frequently out eat me already.  Tacos and pizza don’t stand a chance.  And your favorite food right now is a Subway roasted chicken sandwich with bacon, American cheese, parmesan and oregano.  I’ve seen you put away the full foot long before.

Bedtime can be a little rough for you right now as you have a vivid imagination that can work it’s way into scary thoughts/dreams when the lights go out.  You currently need both myself and daddy to come in and pray with you each night before bed asking God to give you good, thankful things to think about and not bad dreams.

You are great at memorizing Bible verses.  This year you added the 23rd Psalms, John 1:1-3, and all 66 books of the Bible to your memory with your weekly AWANA verses. And by you learning them, you are helping your brother learn them, too.

And AJ adores you.  Yes, he picks on your quite a bit, too, but that’s because he thinks are your awesome (and he’s a “little brother”… enough said). You guys are great friends most of the time and competitive rivals the others. You do a great job of helping him when he needs it or sharing your ‘big boy’ things.

Andrew, we are so thankful that God placed you in our family 7 years ago and that you’ve grown to be a strong, healthy, kind boy.