A Birthday Letter to Our Seven Year Old Son

My little love,

I watch you walk, run, and laugh with that mouth holding two adult teeth and marvel. How did the baby I never stopped holding and staring at become this bounding, bouncing being?

They say the years go by so fast, but the days are long. Days with you have always zoomed by with baseball cards, audio stories, narrated baseball one player full field games, and periodic fast tickle laughs. I wouldn’t know any other way.

Your little sisters and brother look up at this face of teasing, teaching, and tenderness. Not in any particular order. You can poke and prod like any pest but usually draw them into your world of games with invisible endless twists and turns. You look with an open heart. And share whatever you have in yours with theirs.

When your dad and I watch you race your bike or pitch a curve ball, we rejoice at these signs of your growing and reaching toward what brings out that wide mouthed stretched eyes laugh. I also cry a little. Because I’m a mom. And want you to always be my baby at the same time that I want you to become more and more yourself.

Our prayer for you this year: that you continue to grow in patience for our shortcomings and your siblings’ purposeful aggravations. May you feel the lightness that only love can bring into your daily mood. May you explore. May you experience God and seek His will in your life. May you listen to the Twins win the World Series. May you eat lots of (organic, nitrate-free) hot dogs. Or the terribly delicious kind they serve at the ball game.

We love you #7 (also your bestie, Joe Mauer’s number)!!!

Your adoring fan club

SaveSaveSaveSave