Friday, August 2, 2013

Dear Noah 7yrs old

Dear Noah,
My hope was to get a letter written to you sometime this year - as close to your birthday as possible. So 7yrs and almost 3mos is pretty good, I think! I can't believe you're 7. Then again, I can't believe you're only 7. So often your compassion, maturity, and patience convince us all that you must be more than 7. You're height helps with fooling us too. But then you provoke a sibling, leave a mess on the floor, cry when you're tired - and we remember this is the more "normal" 7 year old behavior. We keep telling you that when you were a baby you were the size of just your head. That might be an exaggeration but that's what we remember! It's crazy to think of the tiny baby snuggled up in our bed being about the length of the short side of our pillows. And now you're almost as tall as me and take up at least as much space in our bed!

 

A month or so before your birthday you became an older sibling to two younger siblings. It's been interesting to watch your relationship grow and deepen with all three of your younger siblings. There are times I think you may be ambivalent about all of them but then you'll give them big hugs and enthusiastically ask them to play with you whenever you've been separated. You now often seem even more grown up as the younger three are SO CLOSE in age - that even at 2-2.5 yrs older you seem SO MUCH older. It's funny.

 

You're quiet most of the time, but will be a ruckus when you're playing. You love legos. You love video games. You love being read to. You've also fairly recently revealed that you can read very well, thank you very much. So you've been reading more to the younger children or commenting on what someone's shirt says, and responding to conversations when we try to spell them out and be all secretive (and, honestly, disrespectful ....). You'll opt to stay home rather than go on errands. You love to snuggle still but don't often find as much time as we used to. You're patient, usually. You love your uncles.

 

You're doing swimming lessons again this year which you still enjoy, but I don't think as much as last year. Sometimes it's hard to tell though. You're very much looking forward to soccer starting. But if you had to choose between playing soccer and going to Grammy's - you'd choose Grammy.
You're a ham in front of the camera and mostly just want to do ninja moves.
The sensitivity you show warms my heart. This same sensitivity means that it's really hard for you to accept it when grownups scold you - particularly non-parental grownups. Sensitivity is a two edged sword but I'd really prefer you to be too sensitive than not. I love that this means you are aware of others needs and wants and often work to meet those desires. I love that it means you are willing to offer hugs and support when others are struggling. It also means that you've started realizing that the world doesn't just keep on keepin' on without our help. So you ask (infrequently, but I'll take it!) what you can do to help, particularly when things are really hectic. This is incredible to me and often surprises me - in a good way.

 

We were pretty amazed by you at birth. We'd birthed the perfect child and we didn't know how the two of us could possibly have made something so amazing. To be honest, you continue to amaze us - 7+ years later. We can only parent so many kids and we're so thrilled that you happen to be one of the kids that we get to raise. I'm excited to finish out this summer with you and start into the fall. So many exciting things to do and see and experience together. I'm really starting to think that 7 is the best age.

I love you, love you,
Momma

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