seven

 This is completely cliche,
but I'm going to say it anyway.
How is my baby boy SEVEN years old??

Also, why does seven feel so big? It's like I could pass six off as "still sort of a preschooler" in my head, but seven? Not a chance. He's a big kid. I'm the mom of a big kid.
It feels so weird, guys.

 This seven-year-old, though, is my favorite. He's sensitive and thoughtful, often asking me "What can I do to help you, Mom?" especially during the craziness as I try to get dinner ready each night.
He's kind and friendly. He's a leader. He's silly and goofy and likes to say crazy things just for the heck of it.
The other day we were buckling the others into the van so we could go to the store, and he walked out with this amazed look in his eyes and said, "Oh, I just never thought this day would come!"
"What day??" I asked, laughing.
"Oh just this one," and then he buckled his seat belt.

 He has a great need to be loved. But as long as we remember to continually pour the love into his bucket, he shines. And he's oh-so-fun to be around. (sending him to school still breaks my heart every morning.)

 For his birthday, he requested waffles for breakfast (eggos because we're fancy like that), going to Corner Bakery for lunch, and pizza for dinner.

 For a boy who doesn't own a phone or other device, and who has only played a handful of times on daddy's phone, he's a Pokemon Go fanatic. For his birthday, the thing he wanted to do most was to go to the park with Dad and catch Pokemon.
Easy enough, sweet boy.

A few months before his birthday, he asked for a kayak. I told him that if he got a kayak, it would probably be the only thing he could get because it's so expensive.
He seemed okay with that, but asked for several other things too.

We got him lots of little things (candy, a box of his favorite cereal--Tiny Toast, a t-shirt) and let him open all of those first. He was completely satisfied and happy with all of that. The last present we let him open was a life jacket.
And then I pretended like we'd forgotten a present, something to go with the life jacket.
Kent carried his kayak around the corner.

This kid. He's the best.

There was much trauma and tears about the prospect of having a friend party  (but who to invite?? and when to do it?? and how to make it perfect??) so we decided to compromise and have a little party at the park with some of our neighborhood friends a few nights after his birthday. Our dear neighbor Erin brought her kids and gave him a Pokemon joke book, which Nick promptly declared "the Best Gift in the World." (But really---Pokemon AND jokes? What could a first grader want more?)
A couple of days after his birthday we drove up to my parents house and spent the weekend, including a trip to Bear Lake.
These summer birthdays--lucky boy gets to stretch it out over several days and several parties and you know what?
He deserves it all.
Happy Seven, Nick!

August, the rest

The end of summer came up so fast--
we soaked it all in as much as we could.

August was a month for finally seeing a full lawn, many Home Depot trips as we finished up the basement, swimming lessons and pool days, splash parks, school preparations, and late nights in the cul-de-sac with friends.

Mirror selfie in Home Depot.

Christian flushed several toys down our toilets. For a couple of weeks, both of our main floor toilets were out of order. We finally had to get a plumber to come out and actually take the toilets off their seals to get the toys out.  This child!

Christian brings me his shoes all day long, asking to go "ous!"

Hanging out in Mom and Dad's shower, just because, you know.

We've got carpet in our basement play room!  It was amazing to see that, after all the time and work and $$ we've put into it, once that carpet was laid, suddenly we had a room! A brand new room! So fun.