~ from Jill

My youngest turned eight yesterday. We celebrated with balloons, a mint-chocolate chip ice cream cake, and grueling rounds of air hockey.

I thought of our experiences this last year together, and some of the perks of raising a seven year old boy:

A constant source of energy: (this kid can go and go and go – a regular energizer bunny.

Perspective: When we speed over dips in the road, he’ll throw his hands in the car and shout, as if we’re on a roller-coaster.

Gossip: He loves to tell me the latest “who’s-who” in his second grade class: what kids forgot to turn in their special projects, who likes who (yikes!), what girls are cute (double yikes!)

Adoration and Love: It’s wonderful to have someone say to you “I love you so-oooo much,” almost every day of your life.

Offerings: getting to look at the things he brings home in his pockets from school, or leaves in a pile on my desk: little stones, sticks, plastic jewels, stickers, sticky toy bugs, rubber balls and pencil erasers.

Snail House:

Unusual Pets: Snails, frogs, geckos, sea monkeys (recently deceased) . .

Olfactory treats: He saved sea-water and grass in a plastic water bottle, then poured it out recently. “Mom, come here you’ve got to smell this! It smells like C-A-M-E-L!” Part of me hoped it wasn’t true, but as I stumbled outside it hit me full in the face, the stench of something leathery, sandy, and vaguely arabian .. something, well, camel-like.

All I could do was smile ☺