Seven.

Three and lovin' life...with teeny B :)

   Somehow, my Small Son
went from 3 to 7 in a blink of an eye.

This is from the crazy rain a few weeks ago...my boys LOVE mud.

Seriously, that's what it feels like. The past three years (THREE!!) since we moved to The Valley have literally flown by. Perhaps that has something to do with adding another baby to the family...and all the sleeplessness that goes along with it. For me, at least, that makes the days long but the years short. So, that accounts for the first year. And then Adam started school-- which has been it's own crazy time-warp. And so, here we are, October of 2014-with a SEVEN YEAR OLD. Who, by the way, had "the best birthday EVER!!" And now, a break for a stroll down memory lane...  

This is from 2 days before my due date; 4 days before Pax was born. We were the youth pastors at our church at the time and we were headed to a high school football game. It was very, very uncomfortable to sit on those bleachers if I remember correctly. (side note: for some reason, this picture always reminds me of a stuffed turkey...I carried him SO far back!) And then- there he was! One month old.

6 months old

13 months old...I miss those teeny chocolate Chucks!!

This is from a little photo shoot I did with Adam and Pax right before the Pax-boy turned two. Love it still.

Four years old. Our first Thanksgiving in Arizona!

His smile is the best! Just shy of five.

        Six! The night he lost his first tooth...it got knocked out by another boy during games at Awanas. Seems about right....

                                 ....aaaand....seven. Early-early morning breakfast date with Daddy.
     oh, my Small Son...there is NO one quite like you. Your joy, your warrior-ness, your protectiveness of your siblings, your love of people (to the point of me having to ask you just a few weeks ago not to tell every.single.mother you met at barre3 our address just in case they wanted to drop by and play...) and of books; your silliness, the way you're the king of goofy faces and weird, made-up knock knock jokes. Gifts are a major love language for you-to get, yes, but also to give. You bring Daddy and I special "snacks", thoughtfully prepared, on the weekends during quite time-and there's always a little surprise included. It's so much fun-and so thoughtfully sweet, too. But my favorite thing is the way you make sure we have something with us "to remember you by" or to protect us when Daddy or I leave the house without you. A clone trooper, C3PO, a truck, a lego lightsaber....whatever you think would protect us the best that day, you make sure it's tucked in our hands before we walk out the door! You have absolutely NO personal space. And you've officially made me the mother of "that kid" in the best of ways-the kid people remember because you stand out and make them laugh. I can't tell you the number of times people at church have said to me, "Oh, you're PAX'S mom!" or "Oh, we know who your kid is!" or "I have to tell you what Pax did today in church...." it makes you live in a state of constant fear/hilarity as a parent. And while it's not always a cake-walk parenting a strong-willed kiddo; you're always up for an adventure. Which is what this life is, Pax-boy...a beautiful, crazy, sometimes-confusing adventure that we're on together-for now. I know someday you'll wave goodbye and head out bravely on your own. And your Daddy and I pray every day for the wisdom and grace to prepare you for that time, to become the young man God is making you to be. I know you'll do well. But for now....I'm glad you still reach for my hand in the parking lot when we're alone; that you still want to snuggle up next to me and have me read to you, even though you can read to yourself...and that you always, always want just a few more minutes of snuggling at night.I'll take that as long as it lasts.
               We love you so much, Petey Petey. You're my favorite Big Kid--and you always, always will be.