Power Up - Rob is 7!!!

You guys.  Every year I say it, and every year it gets a little wilder.  Where does the time go???  I can't believe my little baby is seven years old.  SEVEN.  I kindly asked him to stop it, please, and he told me "Mommy, I can't.  It's what people do - we grow up!".  Alright, kid.  Point made.  I don't like it much, but as we do, we roll with the awesome parts of your little kid not being so little any more and cherish the fleeting times that are passing way too quickly for this mama!

And you made it, buddy.  The big seven.  This year has been a year of ups and downs (mostly ups!) and some mega changes!  A big move, your first mile race, being six during a pandemic, and making some pretty awesome new friends while keeping your nearest and dearest friendships alive in a whole new world!  As always, it's a time for this mama to not only look back on the last year, but also to take a trip down memory lane to when Rob was born...One...Two...Three...Four.......five....six...

And now he's 7!  So let's talk about the man of the hour....the ROB MAN!

Size: 49 pounds, four feet tall even.  Right where you should be dude!!  You have a fantastic appetite and definitely are a mover and shaker - you are growing up so beautifully and well!  Our main worry is to always make sure you are eating enough for your constant GO GO GO!  

Likes: Some things never change - though you don't obsess the way you used to, you still love your cars....instead of the matchbox variety you now have a thing for cool classic and muscle cars.  You point them out whenever we go out for a ride and have decided that our new 3 car garage is a perfect place to store your new lambo.  Sure, buddy.  I'll get right on it.  (That could be a hot wheels, right??).  You still love science, and have been loving physics and astronomy lately - we busted out our telescope and love the night sky!!  You still love swimming and biking and ADORE running - you go out with mommy at least once a week to log the miles and are getting so darn fast!!

You love your video games and really got into Minecraft this year, and the most recent obsession is Mario Kart and Smash Bros...you have a Mario costume you dress up in and go to town on your Nintendo Switch!

You still love dance parties and can really bust a move, and you're getting into strategic gaming - whether it be in real life or on the X box.  Watching your mind put moves together is just amazing, buddy - I love the way your process and the awesome conclusions you come to!

Dislikes: Art - coloring, projects, etc...not a fan.  You've started to draw and create characters, and you are pretty darn good at it - but its on your own terms, which is cool.  You have a love/hate relationship with your sister, which is totes normal, though I will say being with her 24/7 the last few months has definitely made you closer!  You still have doubts about school but our recent move to Webster has been eye opening and you loved your teacher for the few weeks that you had her.  I'm hopeful if we return in the fall that we can make school into something you love and look forward to!

Sleep: While this has never been your forte, we seem to be doing better with this one!  You have some nights that are tough and are still prone to nightmares, but more nights than not you sleep through the night.  I'm hopeful this trend continues!

Eating: You still eat all the things!!  This year yous tarted to learn about nutrition at school and are pretty intent on following a balanced diet - you ask me all the time if a certain food is healthy and if it has too much sugar.  It's been a great lesson in moderation for our whole family and we have learned to balance our favorite treats - pizza, chicken nuggets, hash browns and hot dogs - with carrots, broccoli, yogurt, and fresh fruit.  Your favorite food is APPLES and you have at least one a day and would probably eat four if Mommy could stock them fast enough!  This is your dessert every night and you could teach mommy a things or two, buddy!  Way to go!!

Milestones/Firsts: First mile race last Fall - you learned you love to run long but have to control speed!  You're learning that if you go out too hard you end up using all you have in the tank.  I'm impressed - it took Mommy about 30 more years to realize this!!  You also lost your first tooth!!  When asked what you wanted the tooth fairy to bring you, you responded..."A Dime".  (Love you kid!!)  You made the big move to Webster.  Started a whole new school...for 3 weeks.  Learned how to kick some ass in first grade via distance learning, and did amazing at it!  You are reading at close to a 3rd grade level and your science grasp is off the charts.  We are so, so proud!


You keep learning more Spanish bit by bit and also have picked up on a new language...profanity.  Uhhh....can I blame Daddy?  No?  Alright fine.  (steps back slowly).

Best Moment: Every single day, buddy.  I've said it before and I'll say it again - watching you grow up and learn new things every day is the best experience ever.  I see your wonder, your excitement, and yes, frustration as you navigate new things and understand the world around you better every day (kudos to you kid, the world is a giant mystery to me right now!)  You are in the coolest spot right now - you are growing up from a little kid to a boy that's not mommy's little guy anymore, even though you still humor me from time to time.  You assure me that you will always give Mommy hugs, 'mooches and snuggles and will never, ever, get too big for that.  I'm gonna hold you to it dude - watching you grow is beyond amazing, but from time to time I get the Mom sniffles and remember when you curled right up and fit in my lap and slept there....my little peanut.  I remember when you relied on me for every thing and when you tell me "Mom, I got it.  Let me do it" I am simultaneoously so excited for you growing up and also nostaglicly tearful as I know...you don't need me like you used to.  It's every parents catch-22, buddy.  We love you so much and it';s our job to help you grow up then let you go.  I know it.  But it's not easy.  

Looking Forward To: Our summer together - we have no idea what this looks like in the "Brave New World" of 2020, but we sure are making memories every day and making the best of it!  We swim, we play catch, tag, ride bikes, eat donuts for dinner, and take life right as it comes to us!  In a year where we don't know what "big moments" will come our way, we sure are loving all the Little Wonders (Google it - It's a Rob Thomas song that will totally make you cry when you have kiddos!)

I love you so much buddy.  As always, I remember every single day how very lucky I am to be your mommy and that I was trusted with the most important job in the world!!