And Now You Are Seven!

My little Muffin Man,

Can I still call you that, if you're seven?

What a year it has been!  A lot has happened in your world this year.  And as I look at the photos I complied for this post I can not believe how drastically you changed this year.  It really feels in so many ways like you had two years of growth and maturity.  It's been a big, big year.

 

While your appearance really changed this year and you made developmental strides, your personality has really changed very little since you were small.  You are very much the same sweet boy you have always been.  You are still generous and loving and empathetic.  Still snuggly, and silly.

 

(Of all the Halloween costumes through the years, this is your Daddy's and my favorite.  You picked out this costume and were the cutest little Donald waddling down the sidewalk.)

Oh, and stubborn too.  You aren't verbally defiant.  You don't throw fits.  But you will lay down and quietly just refuse. to. move.  If your feelings are hurt you withdraw.

 

 

You aren't confrontational.  You are far more likely to be sad and get your feelings hurt than be mad.  You and I are so similar in this way.  You are slow to anger, but you can get mad when pushed too far and honestly, I'm always rooting you on a bit when you finally push back.  You are very relational and most things with you are easily remedied with a hug.



Shortly after you turned six, I dropped you off at Kindergarten,  a sad and scared little boy...



Your eyes filled with tears after I took this photo and mine did too ~ your Daddy quickly ushered me from the room ~ it broke my heart to leave you there!

But I'm glad that I gave you this opportunity to grow and become more independent outside of the reach of my (sometimes overly protective) arms.  You emerged at the end of the year happy and confident and loving your new friends!

 

You have a planner that you brought home daily for teacher/parent communication.  You signed your name in it every day and the teacher would put a sticker on it for a good day or write a note if something needed to be addressed.  One day, early in the year your planner came home with the above drawing...a picture of you and me holding hands.  It was so precious to imagine you at your little desk at school thinking of your mama and drawing this sweet picture.

 

What a joy it was to watch you grow this year!  After some struggles in school you were diagnosed with ADHD & SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) this year.

 

You did Occupational Therapy to help with your motor development and you reached all of your large motor skill targets!  We are still working on your small motor skills which are still delayed.  We have worked for years together on your writing and it is just so painfully slow to develop.  It is frustrating for you and has grown to be a mental obstacle for you as well as you've worked so hard with little change and have grown frustrated.  (Which I completely understand.) You do okay as long as I'm right next to you directing you.  Your world will get much easier once you are able to do school work on the computer!



I am reading and researching both of these things (SPD/ADHD) as they are broad terms and I am discerning what aspects of them apply to you so that we can best know how to adapt your environment so that you can better learn and what areas you need just a little help with.  While I think it's important for you to know this about yourself, it's equally important to know that this is a small part of the overall picture of who you are.

 

It simply means that we have to find different ways to do certain things, but that you can still do anything and everything that you want to.  You have no limits, Andrew.  You are a bright boy and are doing great in school.  You are reading very well (your Daddy and I are both amazed at your strides this year) and love Math.  We are SO proud you and all your accomplishments! 


(You and Daddy are reading one of your library books from this year.  I was really happy to see how you would seek out help and find books during your library time that really pertained to your interests).

While you love all things BOY ~ Ninjas, "Army Guys", Nerf guns and swords....You are still such a sweet, tenderhearted little boy.  You love people deeply, adore babies and have such empathy for others and often tell me that you feel sad for someone or for their situation.  You are very aware of people's feelings outside of yourself.   Your heart for others is really a gift.  You are generous, and kind. 

 

The other night you had a nightmare and climbed into bed with me & Daddy.  You fell asleep and then woke up again.  I looked at you and you reached out and put your little hand on my cheek.  An example of the type of small, sweet gestures that you do so often.  You are such a tender boy.  You'll say, "I could hug you forever!" when you hug me and others you love.

 

You love to tell me that I look prettiest with my glasses on, hair in a ponytail and in my pink robe.  When I'm a mess you'll look at me and say, "Mama, you look so pretty."  Your presence and what you add to our family is such a blessing.  And I know you will be that to others throughout your life wherever you are.



We were at my class reunion and as we were on the school tour you spotted a roly poly in the hall way.  As we walked you asked, "Can I go get it, mama?"  I said, sure, but to hurry.  You ran back through the crowd, bent down to find it and and then stood up with your face dissolving into tears.  You cried and cried because someone had stepped on the roly poly ~ you were so sad for it.  Few people have your empathy, sweet one.

But you are also brave.  When we go trick or treating at Halloween, you are the one that will lead your siblings bravely up to the "scary" houses.  You are tender, but you are courageous too and willing to try new adventures. 

 

As the middle child you hold the "favorite sibling" spot.  You are close enough in age to play with both Matthew & Kaitlin and they both adore you.



You play happily with both and get along great with everyone.  Quite simply, you are a good friend, even to your siblings.  You of course, have your moments of teasing Kaitlin, and frustrations with Matthew, but overall you get along so well with your siblings.

 

You lost a LOT of teeth this year and your smile has completely changed!



There was a recent book/movie made called "The Help."  Set during the '50s in Mississippi during a time of segregation and rampant racism.  There is a character in the story that sees no color...simply people.  She eats lunch with her African-American maid and befriends her, loves her.  This character reminds me of you.  The differences in people that might stand out to others, you either don't see or look past.  There was a boy in school this year that some kids would talk about as being different.  When I would help out in your class they would tell me what he "couldn't" do, point out the ways that he struggled.  He was developmentally delayed and it was clearly evident in many ways from his speech to his inability to write or read well (he was extremely delayed in both).    But oh, he was so, so sweet.  He was smiley and just a darling little boy.  And you befriended him.  You would tell me how nice he was and that he was your friend.  You never remarked about how he was different.   You didn't care that he couldn't talk like the other kids...you simply liked that he was nice.  That's what you would say.  "Mama, D. is so nice.  He's my friend."  And that is how you are.  You see people for their heart and don't focus on how people are different from you but see the good.  What a sweet gift.

 

You are also a funny boy and love to laugh and be silly.   And you definitely have a significant mischievous streak to you as well ~ especially when surrounded by little boys your own age.  Oh, the fun you have being a little boy!  If there's mischief happening, you are often in the middle of it!

 

You have a great sense of humor and you love to have fun.  You started the trend of "Mix & Match" pajamas in our house and Matthew and Kaitlin have joined in with making funny pairs of pajamas.

 

On this particular day, you got yourself stuck in the cupboard.  It was SO funny.



You earned your blue belt in Tae Kwon Do, and you played soccer

 

and  t-ball this past year.  You also took swimming lessons.  You are now able to participate in organized sports which is a real milestone for you as this was a struggle in the past (which we understand now).  But you are doing so much better.

 

The area of struggle for you at home is definitely with taking on responsibility.  I'm learning though that you get overwhelmed with a broad direction and have found you to be much more amiable about helping when I can quantify something for you,  like "Andrew pick up 20 things in the playroom."  I can send you back in numerous times until it's done, and you'll do so well with that compared to me asking you to go pick up the room, which would result in you laying on the floor making small unhappy fussy sounds in protest.  (Your form of a "fit").

As you start this next year, school is right around the corner and you will be in first grade, all day.  I am really sad that our time at home together is over.  I have loved having you as my buddy during the day.  I love your company, your impulsive hugs combined with a smile and an affectionate, "Mama."  

You have had my heart from the very moment you entered this world and were placed on my chest and immediately quieted, snuggled in, and went to sleep. 

From the very first moments of your life you were sweet and snuggly and you haven't changed a bit.  You are a precious gift, Andrew.  And while I talk so much about your sweetness, never doubt for a minute what a smart, strong, brave boy you are.

 
(You are sitting next to me as I am writing this and you saw this picture and quietly said, "I look like a REAL army guy in that picture...so cool.")  :) :)

I see that in you as well and know that with the combination of these personality traits you are going to grow up to be an amazing man.

I love you from the tips of your toes to the top of your nose.
Happy 7th birthday, muffin man.

Love,
Mama