It's hard to believe that my first son is seven-years-old. I remember when Eliza turned seven. My mom gave her a personal CD player and a set of Book of Mormon discs. She encouraged Eliza to read the Book of Mormon during her eighth year to help her make an informed decision about whether to be baptized or not when Eliza turned eight-years-old. I remember thinking how ready Eliza was for an assignment like that one ... even though she was only seven-year-old.
And, here we are. Andrew is in his eighth year; preparing for his own baptism. In our church, we baptize at the age of eight-years-old. We believe that when a child turns eight-years-old they are able to know the difference between right and wrong. Before then, a child cannot fully understand the difference and make choices based on that understanding. I see this everyday with Andrew. So many times he is confused because he understands that something is wrong, but he doesn't understand why he shouldn't do it. Make sense?
As I've mentioned before, Eliza is my little rule-follower. She always has been. Andrew is completely opposite. He wants to understand completely before he follows the rules. On the one hand, that is great! I know that he will not be coerced into doing something that is wrong just because someone tells him to do it. On the other hand, I worry that he takes so long to understand that he may get into trouble before he is able to choose to follow the right rules. (Example: crossing the street at the right time.) For this reason, Andrew holds a special place in my heart ... and I know I have my work cut out for me this year, helping him to prepare for baptism.
But, for now, Andrew is seven-years-old. And, just like Kate is not Eliza, Andrew is not Kate or Eliza. He is a totally different child; and, I am so grateful for him. He has helped me to learn how to listen to my children ... really listen, not just listen for the gist of the sentence and say, "Mmm-hmmm." He is a very special boy, and I love watching him grow and learn. Right now, he is reading as I type, and I love that he is so interested in reading! It was a long time coming, but it's here, and I hope to help him to cultivate that desire.
So, without further ado, here are some things we should all remember about Andrew this year:
1. His favorite place in all the world: Legoland
2. What he thinks he is really good at doing: Gymnastics, reading
3. What Jon and I think he is really good at doing: Jon says, asking silent questions = curiosity; I say, he's really good at math (100% on state tests!), reading, and role-playing with his siblings; he's also really excellent at snuggling.
4. The best thing about being in the first grade: Reading
5. How he likes to spend his time: Play video games.
6. What he is most excited about being seven-years-old: Being older.
7. His favorite time of year and what he likes most about it: Winter, because it has snow.
8. What he likes the most about his new house: The backyard.
9. His favorite animals: Dinosaurs and tigers, lions, and chihuahuas .... and, that's all.
10. His favorite story: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
11. On what would he spend his money: A Bakugan.
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