7. S-E-V-E-N. Seven trips around the sun. 7 years we’ve kept another living, breathing, feeling thing alive in our house. You’ve now outlived several houseplants and a number of fish good buddy! Huzzah! You have officially reached the age where you’re embarrassed when I call you Wilbaer (but I still sometimes do). No more car seat this year, just a booster seat in the car–growing up one 5 point harness at a time. You’re a perfectionist, who tries your best at all things but also has a tendency to break into tears if things don’t go just the way you’d hoped. There’s a soft spot in there that’s very caring and very concerned about others. I hope that soft spot never goes away, but the tears lessen over time. You’re starting to push the boundaries, mostly at bedtime, while being wild. You just have so much energy that if it isn’t used up at the end of the day it must all come out at once! Soccer is your current favorite—because you think you’re good at it—and swimming lessons are a struggle—because you can’t float, and if we’re being honest, thrash around like wild ape in the water. You might have gotten that from your mama, she never enjoyed swimming lessons either. You are also the BEST big brother to Christopher (as always) and now Andrew. It is so fun to see your relationship grow with your littlest brother. You are patient, and kind, and he can almost always talk you into sharing or
playing. You have excelled in 1st grade. You’re reading books years beyond your grade level and devour all the information you can find in science and math. You’ve taken a liking to reading in your bed with a flashlight long after the lights have been turned out, which your dad and I both enjoyed doing as kids. We’ve only caught you sleep-reading once! Sucking your thumb is still your preferred way to fall asleep, you also still do it when tired or bored, but rarely (if ever) at school. You’ve started to express that you “know everything” at school, and we’re trying to let you know it is just as important to help your classmates learn. You are obsessed (to put it mildly) with Roblox and Minecraft, so much so, that you had a Minecraft birthday cake and think you want to be a miner when you grow up. I’m pretty sure wanting to be a miner is just a phase, lol. Another 7-year-old struggle? Changing your socks! Seriously kid, those feet are getting smellier by the day and you are foreshadowing the smelly teen boy years to come. A funny William quirk? You love the watch we got you at Christmas so much, that you typically take it off for safety whenever you poop. We know this because sometimes you forgot to put it back on. I hope you read this someday and have a good laugh about that. Honestly we couldn’t ask for a better 7-year-old. Our first 7-year-old. With your help, we’ll figure out what it means to be 7, and have some fun along the way. Happy 7th Birthday Wilbaer!
