It's Good to Be Seven: Jake

Our Jake turned seven today, bright and early at 6:49 am. We marked the special occasion with big hugs and tackles from his siblings, warm cinnamon rolls and opening one present (a butterfly garden kit).  Tonight we'll celebrate more with pizza at his restaurant of choice and ice cream cake. Because it's not every day a boy turns seven.

The older Jakey gets, the more and more difficult it is to remember our lives without the little buddy. He is a constant source of joy, energy, laughter, and hugs, and teaches us something every day.

Here are some of the wonderful lessons we've learned from our front-toothless Jake, age seven:

Jake has brought a deeper appreciation  and love of animals into our house, unlike anyone else in our family. He is especially fond of dogs, and asks daily (or hourly) for his own Siberian Husky or Beagle or frankly, any dog to cuddle, walk and love.


When his Uncle and Aunt's beloved dog passed away last year, Jake was particularly saddened, and made them a card detailing all his favorite memories of Riley. Jake has even come to be known by his siblings as "Puppy", due to his love of furry creatures and his puppy-like disposition.

Sports are life! From baseball to basketball, hockey to football, Jake has a ball/bat/hockey stick in his hands every single day. He has used this love of sports to meet and make new friends. His stories from school each day always include tales from recess, and who achieved the game-winning touchdown, basket or goal.

Jake doesn't limit himself to only playing with kids from his first grade class, in fact he often talks of games with kids in the older grades. I love walking around campus with him, as he's constantly greeted by kids of all sizes and ages, reminding us of the beauty of moving outside one's comfort zone.

The best meals consist of bread or pasta, fruit and yogurt. If Jake had his way, he'd eat a bagel and cream cheese for every meal, accompanied by a side of blueberries and yogurt.

For dinner, he'll choose gnocchi and pesto, and some crazy fruit-flavored ice cream like "rocket pop" or "watermelon ice" for dessert (which Lucie and I cannot comprehend -- where's the chocolate!?!) No peas or zucchini (his arch-nemesis) please.

Last, but most definitely not least, a happy, open-minded spirit is the best way to approach the day. Jake's teacher described him as a "caring individual with a kind heart", and his basketball coach said he is "the most coachable kid ever". We think this sums him right up.

You are so loved, Jakey! Thanks for teaching us, each and every day.