Happy Birthday Will!

Will, where do I begin? Well, you are a joy. You have been my little buddy for as long as I can remember. You were my first child so I apologize for many early parenting mistakes. Despite my best efforts to be a perfect parent and falling totally short, you are an amazing little boy and an awesome big brother! In fact, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that you are one of the most thoughtful people that I know and you are only 7 years-old.
Ok, so you weren't the easiest baby. You really didn't care for sleep. As a new mommy, I couldn't understand why people said that babies slept a lot. I would put you in your crib and you would just lay there and look at me. Again as a new mommy, I followed all the other good mommies at that time and enlisted the help of Babywise. Well, after a few weeks of working so hard to get that schedule just right, I learned that I was still Babydumb and you were just going to do all of this at your own pace. For at least the first year, you woke up every night only for a few minutes not really to eat, just to say "hello". I guess I should have known that this was an early clue into your personality. You were Mr. Social then and you still are to this day.
You have a tender heart which worries me because I know that you will have your fair share of heartbreak. But it also blesses my soul to know that your tenderness will make you a tremendous friend, husband, and daddy. I can see it already in the way you play with Sam. You are so patient and play with him even when he is being a bit bossy and unreasonable. I see it when you run to rescue Ike from the frustrations he encounters as a crawling baby with little control over his world. I even saw it very early on in your first phrase to me. We had not lived in NWA for very long so I was a little low on friends and lonely. Most days, it was just you and me. So, when you looked up at me at only about 2 1/2 years-old and said, "Well yook at you. I yove your belt", my heart was lifted.
Will, you have a sparkle in your eye. Of course there are times when you feel defeated and in those times you throw your head back, mouth open, and just howl. (It is kind of funny to watch.) But so much of the time you see the endless possibilities in the world. You make rocket ships out of boxes and plan on them flying. You have lemonade stands and stay open for hours on end because people that pass by promise to return and you know in your heart they will because when you give your word, you keep it so why wouldn't they? You believe the tooth fairy recycles baby teeth and gives them to younger babies just cutting teeth. And although you are certain your leg length discrepancy makes you run faster, you still hope that maybe you will find another boy with one short leg and then you can just trade:)
You like organization and cleanliness. I rarely have to ask you to clean up more than once. You just stop playing, look around, see the mess, and get to it. You do mumble under your breath now and again about how Sam never helps and I am sorry he doesn't have quite your enthusiasm for tidiness. You button your shirt all the way to the top and have as long as I can remember. I have tried explaining to you that most people don't do that but you really don't care. So, I have gotten over it and now realize that everyone else is just boring. You climb everything in our house including your dad and are rather good at it. I know you have a future in Cirque du Soleil. Unfortunately, Sam sees you do these stunts and isn't quite as balanced as you which is why he has the grey tooth:(
Will, I have treasured these last 7 years. There have been some rough times. We found it appropriate that the first chapter of The Strong-Willed Child was entitled, The Wild and Woolly Will. But, we have had mostly sunny days, and I can't imagine life without you. Sam and I wander around aimlessly some days waiting for you to come home from school. You are the rubber band that keeps us together and organized. I am so blessed to be your mommy. I love you. Happy Birthday Will!

PS - I chose these two songs (Lemonade and Cartoons) by Chris Rice to play for your birthday post. I picked them because they are just positive, happy, and fun songs. Will, that is exactly the way I see you!