Lucas Turns 7!

Such a common thing, to be amazed every year that our children grow.  To exclaim that it doesn't seem like they should be this big!  This old!  This grown up!  But it's the first time that MY child has turned seven, and it's the first time I've parented a seven year old.  So I'm going to go ahead and be amazed. =)

Lucas turned 7 without any difficulties or trouble.  He just woke up that morning and it happened.  8:20am rolled around and *bing*!  Seven he was.  I couldn't help but think of his birth as I made breakfast, a combo that seemed natural.  There was so much I didn't know back then, including HOW to listen to my body that was supposed to guide me on this natural journey.  My body did try to guide me, but I didn't know how to listen.  Lucas was a homebirth, and he took his sweet time in arriving.  The pushing stage lasted from midnight to 8:20 the next morning, and there are few things as discouraging as the moment I saw the sky begin to lighten and I had no baby in my arms.  But no complications, really, and he was healthy and sound.  He was so tiny, just 6 lbs 12 oz and I got to cut the cord.  He was a people person from the start and there are so many things about how he was as a baby that are SO like he is today.  The talking, the cute face and expressions, the caution, the need for relationships.  He looks like his father and "emotions" like his mother. =)

He got his little party this year, with his adored buddy, Ethan and family.  His theme was icebergs and I could have done better with a little more thought.  I goofed.  He wanted a red cake, so I made a red velvet cake base and then put blue gel on it.  See?

The cookies with whipping cream on top are small ice floes.

Not really well thought out.  Needed to have white icing first!

Anyway, we mounded up cake and covered it with whipping cream and topped it with animlas from both polar regions.  Polar bears and penguins, take advantage!

Ice berg cake and homemade pizza was the birthday request!

An embarrassed glance during the singing...

Blowing out the candles!

We wanted to make ice berg punch.  We mixed blueberry juice and ginger ale, then put clumps of vanilla ice cream in it.  Don't do this.  There's a reason people put sherbet in punch and not ice cream.  It curdles the milk.  But in our innocence, we made curdled milk punch.  Mmmm.  Shane made the punch and I have to poke a little fun at him, because instead of putting clumps of ice cream in it, he mixed it in.  He was not aware of the ice berg theme, I guess.  Even though he'd been all over Albuquerque to find a plastic polar bear for the cake.  =)

This year, Lucas' main gift was a rock polisher.  As we speak, it is on week 2 with the coarse grit, tumbling away.  3 more weeks and he might have polished rock!  We'll see how often this gets used... =)

Thank-you Emma and Ethan for the joy you brought to ALL the kids!  How does it feel to be better than Santa?

We are happy to have such a little grown-up man in our lives, and it's just a constant reminder that our parenting must keep shifting with his needs.  It's getting a little harder in some ways... the accountability to myself just increaces daily.  But in other ways, it's just more rewarding and fun!  =)