The Seven Year Old Jig

As you might imagine, it has been a fantastic journey this life with Anders. The fact that he has turned seven simply amazes me. Seven seems like such a big kid age. In reality....there is a marked shift in his growth - socially and emotionally, as well as physically. I have had a lot to learn as his parent this year and I remain steadfast as his student, he as my teacher.

This is the very first year he has shown so much happiness about turning a year older. Most years he has been rather sad to leave the age he was, this was especially true when he turned 5 and 6, but this year ... only joy, pure joy. It was so wonderful to watch him experience such eagerness about his birthday and turning seven. He wouldn't zip his coat shut that day because he wanted to show off his number seven t-shirt - again a new experience to observe because clothing is not something he is conscious of.

Highlights of the year? Hmmm...watching as he navigates the social world more and more...balancing his need for time and space before jumping in to something, and finding that at times there is no time. I have learned so much about acceptance this year in relationship to this. Anders has always been slow to warm up to folks...he takes his time. Comfort and relationship are primary needs and if they are not there, a social curveball is thrown for him and he can hesitate to step firmly up and into things. (Some folks would call this shyness...I have learned to call it his style - when he is comfortable he is absolutley the farthest thing from shy) He is a very loyal and loving friend - qualities that are endearing. He has some stunning friendships and is the kind of kid who expresses love and gratitude for the folks he loves.

He hasn't been in a very good classroom this year and he is learning to navigate all sorts of things...mostly a classroom climate that is not conducive to building self-esteem, community, or healthy learning and it can be tough for kids to make sense of an environment like this. Luckily Anna and I have been in the vicinity to do damage control. And we are hoping he has a much better teacher next year. This is something about his seventh year that I won't forget. How as a mom to help navigate the world of public school.

Here are some characteristics of my son that I can easily name after seven years of watching him grow: He is physically very handsome, and very, very strong. He's agile and very good with his body - he loves gymnastics, climbing, riding his bike, scooting, and swimming. He is a fantastic example of someone who relishes delayed gratification. He saves things. Money, candy, gifts, etc. He can hold on to things that he truly loves to stretch out the experience. He is such a kind and sensitive boy. He's a real friend. He shares things he loves and empathizes with those in pain. He is an amazing big brother and loves his little brother so much. He is funny, loves humor, loves computers, loves tv, loves to scoot, loves to read, loves to hear stories and loves his family. He loves to play with animals, use his imagination, and be silly. He likes school...even if he doesn't have the best teacher.

Happy birthday Anders - you truly are the most loveable amazing kid in the whole wide world!

Seven and Climbing

Anders turned SEVEN yesterday.
It was a wonderful day. Anders was absolutely so thrilled to have his birthday and bubbled with happiness all day long. His joy was contagious. He woke up at 5:00 in the morning, unable to sleep any longer. He tried very hard to return to sleep, but finally at 6:15 the rest of us trotted downstairs to prepare his birthday tray. He's the kind of kid who savors things, so he chose to open only one present (the smallest) and to unwrap the rest of them throughout the day. We got ready and headed to a climbing gym nearby for his morning party. He invited 5 friends to join him and everyone was harnessed up and taught how to climb up the 25 foot wall. Anders was the first to head up and easily scampered to the top. Everyone else followed and they spent a chunk of time climbing and descending. Then they proceeded to the zip line where the kids had to step off of a platform at the second story and zip along whizzing in mid air. I was amazed at how brave 7 year olds are! It was probably one of the most fun birthday parties he's had.

All You Need Is Love

When I came home from work on Valentine's day I entered the kitchen to find a giant, gorgeous heart the boys made for me strung up with thread. It was hanging there in all it's red and pink glory and if it had a voice it surely would have been shouting "Happy Valentine's Day Mommy!"

We then settled down to a lovely dinner where the homemade heart shaped pasta Anna made whispered her love to all of us. It was a great, great loving day. I love my family!

Kuba's Happy Hearted Pig

This Winter

We've had some funky weather this winter. And by funky, I mean unusual. Practically no snow. Lots of little sprinkles of snow, but I don't think we've had anything more than two inches yet. We've had lots of rain. We've had lots of ice. We've had lots of mixed rain and ice.

So, playing out in the snow hasn't been "traditional." No snowmen, snow forts, snow shoveling. In fact, I think there really hasn't even been any snow shoveling at all....and January is almost over. So we've gone ice skating. We found a nice natural skating pond nearby and took the boys. They are learning how to skate. Kuba seemed to like to mostly sit on a nice branch and wave a big stick around, and Anders was content to lie on the ice and try to bat away hockey pucks...goalie style. But, we also practiced moving....along the ice, vertically, slowly and wobbly. And they also got to push one another around on milk crates. Our friends Hazel and Junie got into counting the number of times they fell, the grand total being something over one hundred falls!!! But just being outside, on the ice, in a beautiful setting, feeling the cold air, is enough. Who cares if the kids spent a lot of time on the ground? Who cares if there were not any snowmen around witnessing the fun?

What I Need

Sometimes in our house, we need to bring out the art supplies-and motivating ones.

This is because my kids can get addicted to a morning show on TV and never, ever want to turn it off. Or it could be because we are all feeling cabin fever and need something else to focus on besides the number of times one of the kids says poop, or pee, or penis. Or the chaos of rough housing and wrestling gets a little too loud. You get the picture.

Luckily we have lots of supplies at our finger tips and mostly the boys need a just a little invitation to begin.

The right side of the brain is so much kinder and more mellow than the left. It's the feel good, I love everything and everyone, side of the brain.

And sometimes this is exactly what I need.

Kuba-isms

Kuba made up a new word today....ear nug. It's his term for an ear lobe. I like ear nug much better thank you.

Today, as he was sitting on the toilet, he turned to Anna and said..."I wonder what it feels like to be a wall?"

And later he said. " I think I would like to be a poodle.....no, maybe I just want to be a puddle". He then proceeded to laugh really hard at this.

This boy is FUNNY!