Seven

This is Jake's 7th birthday letter from me!

Jacob,

This week you turned seven; seven whole years old! It's unfathomable that my little man is not so little anymore. You requested a rip stick for your birthday. After attempting to ride it for a good thirty minutes you stomped inside red faced and outraged demanding that "We take it back to the store immediately!" Let me tell you how ecstatic your dad I were after shelling out the $80 bucks for your 30 minutes of rage. You'd think by now we'd have learned our lesson about the expensive birthday stuff. Dad and I have brains the size of walnuts.

Currently you are in first grade and take more pleasure then your average kid on turning your school work in before everyone else. During a recent visit to your classroom I witnessed the pure joy you receive upon completing an assignment first. You don't just hand it in, oh no, you yell very loud "done!" and high tail it up to your teachers desk as fast as you can so that your paper is the very first one in her hands. You then look around the room triumphantly as if to say to the other kids "in your face!" I don't think your teacher finds this insanely competitive action nearly as hilarious as I do. She lets out a little sigh and says "thank you Jacob." I think instead of that frustrating rip stick we should have bought you a big shiny silver bell for your desk that way you wouldn't have to waste all that energy shouting and running when you completed your work. A simple ring of the bell is all you would need to do!

You are a perfectionist through and through. You like things to be done correctly and efficiently. If you can't reach your idea of perfection your go to the ugly place! It must be frustrating for you to have me as a mother, as I am the queen of imperfection. I think that God has a terrific sense of humor about these things; some how we work together perfectly. I adore you so very much. You make me laugh daily. You're always smiling and have been that way since babyhood. You have an effortless way about you that works to your advantage when you weasel out of punishments. You have mastered the art of charm. You are your father's son, that's for sure! Like you Dad you go through phases of obsessing over things. At this moment you are into skateboarding. Every morning you rush through breakfast so that you can have time before Mrs. Love picks you up for school to squeeze in some skateboarding. Apart from the skateboarding you are oddly very much into the "hobby" of snowflake making. After dinner you get our big jug of coffee out of the cupboard and trace its outline on some blue paper. Neatly you cut it, fold it a few times, and begin carving little pieces out with your scissors. I have to say your Martha Stewart like love and commitment to snowflake making slightly disturbs your father but I chalk it up to creativity! I can't wait to see what other hobbies you pick up this year!

Even though you are seven you still love to cuddle. When I tuck you into bed at night you still hold on tight to my neck and tell me how much you love me. I cherish that moment everyday because I know that very soon you will be too old to do that. I love you so very much,

Mom

baby jake and daddy

Jake with baby Amelia

partners in crime