Dear Alex,
You turned seven years old yesterday, and I think you were just a little bit excited about it. I say that because last week we were in the check-out line in Hobby Lobby, and as I was paying for my stuff, you sighed, then ever-so-casually looked at the cashier and said, “Gosh. I can’t wait until it’s my 7th birthday this Sunday.” You know, totally laid-back. Mr. Cool. Shootin’ the breeze. You stopped just short of putting your elbow on the checkout lane and resting your head on your chin.
Cute thing.
Right now you love to read a whole bunch, and it cracks me up that you read with GREAT! EXPRESSION! I can’t imagine where you inherited such a quality. It certainly didn’t come from me, THE PERSON WHO LOVES TO USE CAPITAL LETTERS WHEN SHE WRITES. You also love soccer practice, Mississippi State (your Pappa is so grateful for that and is forever giving you Bulldog-themed gifts), Skittles, mazes, Super Mario Bros., rollercoasters, church on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights, any type of meat, cheese grits, baby lima beans, the library, Chipotle, shortcuts, singing loudly in the car, and riding to school with Daddy and Ally. Your best buddies are Luke and Brooke, and you still miss Corbin a lot. Hopefully we’ll get to visit him in Texas soon.
You’re so good-natured and fun to be around, but when you don’t like something, you mean business. You openly oppose broccoli (unless it’s in the broccoli cheese soup at Jason’s), shopping, asparagus, carrots, crafts, roaches, crafts, “girl stuff,” and crafts. Did I mention that you don’t really care for crafts?
You are wild about our extended family, and you pray for them almost every night. You think all of your grandparents hung the moon, and when you and Daddy were at my parents’ house a couple of weekends ago, you walked into their living room, looked at your father, and said, “Daddy? Could you please leave and give us some privacy?” You just adore them. It’s one of the great joys of my life.
Over the last few months I’ve caught myself looking at you and wondering how it all happened so fast – how the chubby-cheeked toddler who bounced up and down to Elmo songs is now such a long-limbed, confident little man. You do your homework without any prompting from me, you feed and walk the dogs, you run your water and take a shower and dry your hair and put on your pajamas. And then you wake up in the mornings and turn on music in the kitchen and sing your heart out while you eat breakfast. You are always – ALWAYS – tickled to death about going to school. And you like to be early.
That’s my boy.
A month or so ago I ordered your first suit for a wedding you’re going to be in this summer. When UPS delivered it I asked you to try it on right away, and seeing you in that grey seersucker suit just about did me in. You just looked so big, and as I checked the length of your coat sleeves, I found myself fighting back tears. It wasn’t because I’m sad that you’re not little anymore; it was because I’m so proud of who you’re becoming. Your daddy and I don’t just love you – we like you so much. You’re honest, tenderhearted, outspoken, friendly, hard-working and funny. You’re more than we ever imagined.
Happy 7th birthday, sweet little man. Life is so much better with you in it.
Love,
Mama
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Adorable! What a memory page you’ve created for Alex. He’ll treasure this when he’s older. Very sweet. Liking and loving, I love that sentence.
I’m sitting at my desk crying reading this. So precious. And Alex is SO handsome. (I would say cute but 7 deserves to be “handsome”!)
And please post a picture of him in his suit because I might die from the cuteness!
Such a sweet post from a proud momma!
Awwwww…happy birthday, Alex! We share a birthday. Except that I turned 33 yesterday, and you turned 7. Just a wee difference. :)
What a sweet post….Happy Birthday to your little big guy!
Goodness … Didn’t this sweet child just have a birthday? I guess I’ve been reading BM for a while because it seems like it was just yesterday that he had his last birthday. Happy, Happy Birthday to a boy who couldn’t be liked or loved more!
Waaahhhh! Just call me Boo Hoo Mama. And I’ve never met him but …Waaaahhhh!
I have no idea who you are, and I’m sitting here crying on my couch. I know I’ll blink and my two-year-old baby boy will be seven. Aren’t they such a gift?
~James 1:17
Brought tears to my not-yet-a-mother eyes. Happy birthday to your sweet boy!
I am fighting back the tears reading that! That was so sweet. Happy Birthday Alex!
Oh dear. I’m all choked up. My baby girl will be 5 in a couple months and starts Kindergarten in the fall. I just can’t believe how quickly the time flies by. What a sweet post in honor of your baby boy’s 7th birthday. Happy Birthday, Alex!
Well, why don’t we just pass around the Kleenex box? What a touching post! My baby starts Kindergarten in the fall and every time I think about it, big ol’ tears just start coming and coming…
Wht a beautiful post. Happy Birthday to Alex! Even though we have never met, I know that you are a wonderful mother. It is evident in the way you speak about your son and the way he acts towards you :)
This totally made me cry.
My little girl is 3 and started preschool last week to get therapy. I came home after dropping her off and this house seemed gigantic without her here. I cried, did some laundry, cried, washed the dishes, cried, and nearly ran out the door when it was time to go pick her up. Then I came home, blogged about it, and cried again. They grow up way too fast! :(
That brought tears to my eyes! How sweet! Happy Birthday to your sweet little boy!
Well, that just brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful tribute to a darling boy. I’m in the process of a possible adoption and just can’t wait to join you in the joys of motherhood. Thanks for sharing your boy with us.
You gotta love a kid who gets a globe for his birthday. My girl turned 14 on saturday…she’s got a lot of little girl in her, still. And I’m thankful for that!
Amen! Spoken like a true, loving Mama! Alex is such a handsome fella! Happy, happy belated birthday to him!
You certainly made me cry. I turned 50 this past summer and didn’t bat an eye. I’m thankful for each of my 50 years! Glad I’ve had such a wonderful life. However, my youngest child will turn 18 on April 8 and will graduate from HS soon after. I’m having a tough time with that. I just may have to call in sick that day. Our 2 older kids are married and on their own. They have wonderful mates and life is good but…….I miss my kids. Make no mistake about it. I know what is coming but I’m working very hard to be as excited for him as I did my olders. But, Lord knows, it’s not easy. Enjoy that sweet, sweet 7 year old.
What a sweet tribute to what sounds like a delightful boy. So well written and sweetly said. I loved reading this!
Did A get my message?
PS-I am just sick over the game!
That made me tear up it was so sweet. And Howard and I share a birthday, btw.
Or should I say “Howard and me”? Those reality shows, they help my’s grammer so much.
You are such a good Mama, too!
Happy birthday little man–you are so blessed to be a part of your sweet Boo family…really, I am praying right this moment that God will give you wisdom and favor with God and man, as you grow into the man of God, which He intends for you!
Love,
Mrs. Holly
Oh Boomama! I know what you mean! My oldest turns 7 in May. When did they get to be little men?
Oh, he is just darling. And, it’s so much fun when you truly like them. :)
Happy Birthday big guy!
what a sweetheart! It only gets better as they age. My baby boy is 27 this year and still just the sweetest thing…On another note, are you as MAD as we are about those sadistic nimrods on the NCAA selection committee? I mean, REALLY!
Is there anything as sweet as a boy this age? Loved mine at this age, and still am absolutely crazy about him at 27 – they just get better and better. And I would have cried a little over the suit too.
Happy Birthday to your Little Man! What a touching and sweet tribute to him on his special day.
I sort of stumbled across your blog and HAD to leave a comment when I saw the reference to Mississippi State. While not a Bulldogs fan (we’re totally Arkansas people – Go Hogs!) I can appreciate anyone who cheers for the SEC. Well, so long as they’re not rooting for Florida! ;)
Beautiful. *sniff, sniff :)
Awwwweeee, Happy Birthday, Alex!
I love your “mama’s” heart in this post, girl..
OH MY! He is such a doll! Happy Birthday to your young man!
These babies grow up so fast! And this was such a sweet letter.
Hope you will check out my review of Phil Vischer’s new video series “What’s in the Bible?”. I’m also having a giveaway of the first two episodes: “In the Beginning” and “Let My People Go”.
Happy Birthday to your sweet little man!
Happy 7th Birthday, Boo!! (I don’t like crafts either.)
Didn’t you just wish him a Happy 5th birthday yesterday? Really? 7? Wow! He’s such a beautiful boy and you are a great Mama. You are blessed.
Happy Birthday Alex!
This is absolutely fabulous. I adore it.
He will someday too. (or maybe right now since he is such a reader!)
What a gift. Loved this. It is such a joy to love AND genuinely like your children. Mine are 19 and 21 now, and (Thank You, Jesus!) we still like each other! Happy birthday, Alex! (You be sure and thank your sweet mama for bringing you into this world!)
Sweetest thang ever.
for the record, there aren’t many things i love more than mamas who write birthday blog posts to their children.
swoon.
love this so much.
oh, and big h said when he was reading over my shoulder, “mom, we’d be friends wouldn’t we? we could totally eat chipotle and play mario together.”
word for word.
happy birthday, big man.
the “like you” part brought me to tears.
Happy Birthday, Alex! Your mom rocks!”
Oh my goodness that is sooooo wonderful waht a wonderful little guy you are raising for some lucky someone! I am sure you are so proud and did I mention my little girl is 6.. lol
What a sweet boy you have…Doesn’t it go by so fast? Too fast, in my opinion!
Your letter brought tears to my eyes. Nothing better than being a Mama…
Aw, my heart just melted into a big soupy puddle. Hard to believe Alex was literally just a baby when we got acquainted here on the blawgs.
Hap hap happy birthin’ day, sweet Alex. Many blessings upon your life, little man. :-)
Love and big hugs,
Diane
Good gravy that made me cry!
Oh my word – talk about doing me in. My Jonah is 7 and I can relate so much to your description of Alex. I’m also pregnant with #3, so I’m a sobbing hormonal mess at the moment!! What a sweet, sweet letter – I am TOTALLY doing this for my children from now on and I TOTALLY regret not having thought of it sooner! Happy Birthday to your sweet Alex!!
Tonya in SC
That was beautiful.
BooMama
I must tell you…..this love you feel, it gets even bigger!
Every single day this boy grows….your heart does as well.
My sweetboy is going to be 20 in June! It has been the greatest 20 years of my life. {And yes….I have lived another 20 or so without him}!
Have fun…..sing loud, give privacy, read your heads off, eat like kings and keep taking him to church!
You will never regret any of it!
I promise!
WHAT? how can he be 7years old – he was just 6 two months ago wasn’t it? aren’ you figuring wrong – your baby boy is growing up too fast for even your faithful readership.
He does have a face to warm anyone’s heart and apparently a heart ready to love the world – singing in a car is a sure sign of special anointing! Happy Birthday a little late but quite heartfelt.
BTW – good job there BooMama and BooDaddy – y’all obviously are doing many things right.
I’m teary now, because I know that fierce Mama love, and I know how fast they grow up. My “little” boys are 21 & almost 16 now, and it all happenend in a blink of the eye. Cherish, cherish, cherish this time. As much as I miss them little, it’s pretty incredible to see them all grown up too!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX!! Sorry I’m a few days late,but I hope you had a great day! You have such a wonderful mama who takes great care of you. I hope when she’s old and gray, you’ll sing “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my mama you’ll be.” Have a supercalifragilistoc year, Alex!! :)
Oh Sophie…he is precious! And all the things you have said about him tells me he will grow up to be a studious, hard- working,and caring-for-others young man who is sure of himself but yet with the kind of humility that makes you just love him to pieces!
Well done Sophie and David! You are blessed!
Happy Birthday Alex!
Four thoughts:
1. Never have I read a more eloquent, heartfelt tribute from mother to child.
2. How fortunate you are to be the mother of such a wonderful boy. I can totally relate to you even though my little boy turned 7 nearly 28 years ago. Once when he was home from college for the summer he made a comment about being an adult; my reply was simply, “no matter how old you get you will ALWAYS be my baby boy.”
When he got married “Love you forever” was the book he kept. (I’m shedding tears just *thinking* about reading him that book.)
3. Just wait a couple more years. My oldest grandson turned 10 and is using *deodorant* and actually needs it. Ouch.
4. Mother warning: When I turned 30, I thought, “what’s the big deal?” When my oldest had her 13th birthday I nearly fell apart, realizing that I had just become the mother of a TEENAGER!!!
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