The Loveable Sevens

{I found this picture in the middle of random pictures Kate was taking while trying to figure out my dumb camera.  This was such a candid moment.  What a treasure.} 

On the morning of Luke's 7th birthday - I got this message in my inbox:

From: My Big Kid This Week
Subject: The Loveable Sevens

"Congrats! You're entering one of the most rewarding phases of parenthood. Now your child requires less hands-on supervision and care, but he still looks up to you for guidance and support. His curiosity, excitement, and eagerness to learn make him a charming companion in the year ahead. His academic interests begin to take shape, too. Growing exposure to science, writing, math, and other subjects will give you a sense of where his natural interests lie."

The Day:
 So - this little boy woke up on his birthday to a cold house with a broken furnace.  And for the first time in our 6.5 years of living in this house - we actually built a fire in the fireplace.  So, that was an exciting start to our day.  And I'm typing this up a week and a half later in a freezing cold house.  We still don't have heat.   Our guy should be here any minute - for his 3rd time....which is a charm right?  ju-ju-ju-ju....(those are shivering noises) 

 

For his birthday breakfast - he asked for crepes with Nutella and grape juice.   He got to open 2 presents: Grandma Songer sent him spy gear night vision goggles and his pixie present from Rosalie - a spy voice disguise box. 

 So, now that he was the proud owner of "official" spy gear - he wanted to call over his co-founder of his spy club - agent Jane Wilson.   I set up a treasure hunt with spy clues in the backyard.  Here is the spy club members enjoying their spoils in the loft of the shed.

Later we went to Target to spend the birthday money from Grandma and Grandpa Hale.  Luke took the decision seriously.

final product - (with help from dad)

Emme and Luke are birthday buddies with birthdays on the 19th and 20th.  

 FOUR AND SEVEN!  Happy Birthday to both!!

The Date:

Luke's Birthday date was a roller skating rink and ice cream.  He is so excited that it was hard to even connect with him cause he was being such a maniac bouncing off the walls.  What a fun boy though.  Later on in the week we were doing Bests and Worsts of the day - Luke said - "Well.... the best thing in my whole LIFE was roller skating with mom and dad."   It was a funny night for me because it was really just us observing him - we couldn't seem to break through to really interact with him or catch up to his energy level.

The 7 year old:
a few tidbits about Luke...

He has such a vivid imagination that he can (and does) spend hours running back and forth from the kitchen to the front door making explosive jet noises.  He's so content to just sort of live inside his head for a few hours and doesn't need anything from us.

He is social.  Who would have thought that our serious baby who seldom made eye contact would be so social.  Friends are a big deal to him and he's not shy at all about making new ones.  He's at a new school and was missing his kindergarten friends so much.  He had just made a friend on his new bus and was so upset one morning when Joey said he wanted to take him to school.  "But I have a friend!!"  And the next day I walked him to the bus stop - he got on the bus and sat down by somebody and looked out the window at me and excitedly pointed to the kid and mouthed "my friend!"

He really is getting to be such a good helper.  During my sleepless nights with a newborn - he would let me sleep by getting up in the morning and getting cereal and milk for the kids and making a "baba warm" for Maryanne.  You can tell he feels so good about himself when he does nice things for people because it snowballs.  He gets praise and wants to do more and more - until he's given you every toy he owns and covered you in all his blankets to make sure you are warm and happy.

He loves his parents.  You gotta love someone who loves you right?  When he's gumpy and mad about something - most of the time it just takes a few pokes, wrestles and jokes to get that Luke twinkle back in his eye. and I love that.  My favorite times with Luke are when I take the time to snuggle with him before sleep.  He tells me over and over "I just love you mom". 

This boy is a keeper.  He's changing and growing up so much.  Here's to the loveable sevens!