My oldest just turned seven. Don't ask me how the time has gone so fast. I don't know -- especially when today seemed like it would never end. I hugged him really tight and told him that I was going to squeeze him back into a 4 year old. Didn't work. I told him to go back to bed and wake up yesterday and be six again. He looked at me like I was crazy. I love the amazing boy he is turning into, but I miss that little buddy that I had waddling along as my sidekick for so long. I love him beyond words, but I'll try to put a few words to it anyway. . .
1. I love that he thinks of himself as a guardian of his little sisters and brother.
2. I love that he can bait his own hook, cast his own line, catch his own fish and reel it in.
3. I love that he will eat any fruit that I put in front of him. And if I left him too long eating an apple, he would simple present me the stem back, having eaten everything -- core and all.
4. I love his brain -- that I can play him in chess as hard and strategically as I can, not dumbing my game down in the least -- and still completely lose. And his brainy, cryptic answers to every question I ask him.
Me: "Lance, what did you have for lunch today at school?"
Lance: (without even a pause) "The same thing that starts with the third letter of my favorite month."
Me: pause, hmm, OcTober, t. . t. . . "Tacos?". Lance: "Yep."
And although it gets old to have to decipher all of his answers, I still love that his brain can think those things up so quickly.
5. I love that he loves music.
6. I love that he looks like Ralphie. If I had a nickel for every time some random stranger stopped me and said, "Do you know who he reminds me of?!" I think they are all somewhat surprised when I answer so quickly -- like I had never heard that one before. Seriously though, if they ever do the remake we are ready for casting. Just change out the glasses and add some hair gel. Don't you think?
7. I love that he knows of unconditional love, of patience, and of compassion in a way that most children don't. He was so excited a couple of years ago when he learned that he was going to have a brother. That "brother experience" didn't turn out quite like he thought it would, but he couldn't be more proud as he still stops random strangers in the store to tell them about his amazing brother. He celebrates him, he champions him, he sympathizes, he loves. Not even 19 years of perfect mothering could have morphed his heart into the tender state that one little brother did.
Lucky seven means that he is seven, and I am truly lucky.
Happy Birthday Lance!