Finch is 7!

Photo by Shandy Mikkelsen

OK, time, you can slow down now …

Finch has grown so much — in every way — in the past year. Kindergarten was a huge part of that maturity, as well as the therapy we have been doing the past six months. I have an entire post I am writing about that!

We celebrated his birthday early with family with an ice cream and amusement park party, then a friend pool party on his actual birthday. He used his birthday money to buy a Nintendo Switch. We gave him a remote control Grave Digger, an electric keyboard, and sticky notes and colored paper for his never-ending ideas and creations. Of course there were streamers hanging from his doorway when he woke up. He wanted donuts for breakfast, mac and cheese for lunch and pizza for supper, so that’s exactly what we had!

I feel so lucky to know this kid. He is really fun to be around. In his words, “I’m smart, I’m funny, I’m crazy and I drive people nuts.” He’s not wrong about any of it!

FINCH IS …

  • Allergic to cats, but thankfully not wasps

  • The only person in our family who eats cold pizza

  • The most exhausting and joyful person I know

  • Gluten-free (he says fried cheese curds make it hard, otherwise it’s “super easy”)

  • An inch taller than Rooney was at this age

  • The same weight as his 10-year-old sister

FINCH LOVES …

  • A beautiful sunset

  • One Direction

  • ”Baby” by Justin Bieber

  • Star Wars (he’s seen all the movies!)

  • “Cheese pizza with white sauce”

  • Soda

  • Canned pears

  • High tops that velcro (size 5-6)

  • Math problems

  • Watching the same movie over and over

  • Sucking the salt off sunflower seeds and spitting them out

STRENGTHS

  • Great sense of humor

  • Using words to express what he needs, wants, thinks and feels

  • Naming his feelings: “I’m scared”

  • Telling stories

  • Entertaining

  • Understanding jokes and puns

  • Sounding out words

  • Math skills and number sense

He got on my laptop one day and was searching on Google. He chose to look up “poop,” “Tesla,” “firefighters,” “applesauce,” and “Star Wars.”

INTERVIEW

And now for one of my favorite birthday traditions! He set up two chairs with a side table and plant between them for us to sit in for his birthday interview. How cute is that?

  • Favorite color: Red and black

  • Favorite toy: My car that I got to build that has screws and you got to put it together like the spoiler and the engine and you can open the front … wait, no … my fart gun

  • Favorite fruit: Strawberries

  • Favorite vegetable: Carrots

  • Favorite TV show: I gotta just say “Bread Barbershop”

  • Favorite movie: “The Cat in the Hat”

  • Favorite food: Mac and cheese

  • Favorite outfit: My electric blue outfit

  • Favorite board game: Outfoxed

  • Favorite video game: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

  • Favorite animal: Pandas and red pandas

  • Favorite candy: Mike and Ike Mega Mix

  • Favorite meal: Chicken strips and barbeque sauce

  • If you could change one family rule, what would it be? No rules!

  • Favorite trip you’ve ever been on: South Dakota

  • Favorite song: “Heat Waves”

  • Favorite book: Oh that’s a hard question … “Happy Pig Day” by Mo Willems … it’s an Elephant and Piggie book

  • Best friend: I need some time to think on this one … Thomas

  • Favorite thing to do outside: Jump on my trampoline

  • Favorite drink: Just gotta say water

  • What do you like to sleep with at night: My pillow

  • What do you want to eat on your birthday? A cake from Sugar Freakshow

  • What you want to be when you grow up? A showmaker that goes on “Is It Cake?” (like an actor)

  • What’s something you want to learn? How to do epic tricks on the skateboard because I want to be better than the best skateboarders when I grow up

  • What are you looking forward to? Having my birthday party

  • What was your favorite memory of being 6? Doing this with you

  • What are you scared of? Icky stuff because I don’t like touching gross stuff — I just feel like it’s going to make me not look good and it feels so gross

  • Favorite chore: Wiping the entryway baseboards

  • Least favorite chore: Well, I don’t like touching icky stuff, so why not say taking out the garbage?

  • Favorite thing to do at school: Free choice

  • Bedtime: 8:00 pm

  • Favorite thing to do with mom: Cuddle her and watch “Is It Cake?”

  • Favorite thing to do with dad: Play video games

  • Favorite thing to do with Rooney: Yell at each other

  • Favorite thing about yourself: That I’m turning 7

  • Favorite nickname: Finchster

  • If you could get anything for your birthday, what would it be? A Power Ranger costume

  • What are you good at? Jumping high on the trampoline

  • How many teeth have you lost? 8

  • How many loose teeth do you have? 0

  • Favorite restaurant: Domino’s

  • Favorite sport to play: Baseball

  • Favorite sport to watch: This is going to be hard … bike races

photo by Shandy Mikkelsen

Dear Finch,

I am so proud of how you handled hard things this year. Your daily life changed dramatically, and I watched as you took it all in stride. You can do hard things!

I’m so excited to see where your interests take you. You are talented at and want to try so many things: skateboarding, biking, baseball, soccer, football, math, karate, swimming. I love having a front-row seat for all of it.

I love when you ask me to cuddle and watch a show with you. I love when you crawl into my bed in the morning and lay right on top of me. I love when you put your head on my shoulder. I love when you hold my hand. I love when you ask deep questions while we’re driving in the car. I love playing catch with you. I love playing soccer with you. I love the dimple in your chin. I love hearing you sing. I love watching you dance. I love your imagination. I love when you write me sweet notes. I love when you tell me to look at the sunset.

You are my wild and my absolute favorite little boy in the entire world.

Forever and for always and no matter what,
Mom

motherhoodkelsey williamsFinchComment