I have a SEVEN year old!

Today, I have a seven year old. How did I get a seven year old....when did seven years go by? Where was I at?? Was I here? Did I get abducted by aliens when I wasn't paying attention?!?!

I swear - well, I don't swear, but I promise, it feels like only yesterday that I was writhing in pain, begging for someone to just "cut this thing out of me". It seems like only a moment ago, I was holding my sweet newborn in my arms and mumbling sweet nothings and some sort of drug induced nonsense. Those 42 hours of "labor and delivery" were quickly forgotten...well, maybe not forgotten, but overshadowed, when I held my 8lb 15ounce - 15 inch head and chested, moose. He looked rough - but not worse than I!

He rolled over in the hospital - the doctors and nurses assured me this was a new born reflex action...I wasn't convinced - which was a good thing. He continued to roll over from birth. Within our first week home, he was pushing up on his arms and lifting his head high to look around. He was nosey then and he's nosey now! Grandma chose to refer to it as inquisitive!

The boy fought sleep like no other - he still can fight sleep, but when he's out, he's out! He was a champ of a sleeper at night. He slept through the night before he was 10 days old! He kept up that trend, sleeping 12 hours at a time before he was 3 weeks old. He slept with his hands "folded" in prayer all the time. He loved to keep one are straight up in the air too..he used to make us laugh!

He didn't smile until late and babbled even later. He sat up by 3.5 months, crawled by 6 and walked at a year. He excelled in anything that involved motor skills. He was slow to speak, but when he did, he spoke in sentences. He did the same thing when he learned to walk. He wouldn't let you help him at all...no walking with fingers, no push toys - he literally stood and walked across the room one day and never looked back.

He made a great "monster face" that would crack up a room full of adults!

He is still our "inquisitive" boy. I can't tell you how many times he's reminded to "mind your business". He now tells me, "I know...mind my business". He's a bright boy whose inquisitive nature has paid off in many ways.

We now see that he struggles with anxiety like his momma and has a touch of what the "professionals" feel is OCD - like mother like son. We also know that this age is a prime age for lots of anxiety and worry so we help him work through it and keep an eye on him!

He finished first grade at the top of his class and continues to excel. He often surprises me with the things he knows...and the things he comes up with! He has an extensive vocabulary, but can still be overheard saying things like: "floorhead" instead of forehead...and I just don't have the heart to correct him!

He struggles with anger, but will protect his brothers. He loves his cat George and his cousins. He is a great friend and has many of them! He loves football, soccer, racing...anything "manly". The boy can pray like nobodies business! His prayers are so heartfelt and genuine. He makes me proud and often makes me want to applaud at the end of his prayers - but I know that isn't quite an appropriate response, so I muster a hearty amen and smile at my boy.

He LOVES music. Any type of music. His latest craze is Toby Mac. We are particular about what we allow him to watch and listen to, and Mr. Mac, seems to be right up his "rocker/rapper", alley - I like it too!

There isn't much in the form of music that he doesn't like and you can often see him, in the rear view mirror, jamming on his air guitar and singing his little heart out. He feels the music and has since he was a little boy. He's had rhythm like you wouldn't believe since he was a toddler! In fact, as I type this blog, he is sitting on the couch across from me, belting out some Chris Tomlin - thank you Aunt Sissy for the new MP3 player!!

He was my much prayed for baby. We begged God for a child, a son in fact. He heard and answered our prayers - which is why his name is Samuel - meaning "God has heard". I look at him and often have a difficult time fathoming just where the time went. I feel like I blinked and he was potty trained, I blinked again and he started school, I'm afraid to blink again for fear that he'll be leaving for college and getting married and then...oh my, bringing over grandchildren for me to babysit!! Thankfully, I'm getting a bit a head of myself, but in reality that time will be here before I know it!

He is my baby, my first born. Matt and I had so many fears and concerns. We weren't sure what we were doing. It was an odd feeling - leaving for the hospital with just the two of us and coming home, FIVE days later, with another life. A human being. They let us leave the hospital with a HUMAN!! It seemed so odd and foreign.

Matt walked him around the house that day, showing him all the rooms and telling him about our house. He was/is such a hands on daddy. He fed and changed our sweet boy and encouraged me on days when I felt like a horrid mommy. He still does all these things!

Sweet S...oh that boy. He makes me proud and frustrates me, often in the same two minute time period. He is passionate and kind. He loves to have company and play with friends. He's my first born son. I asked God for him and He answered me...far beyond what I could have asked...or even dreamt of!