Collin Age 7!

I've just been so bad at this blogging thing lately!  But this post has been on my mind so much.  I know I posted about his birthday party already (way back in February), but not much about the great kid he is at 7!  He's definitely growing up fast, yet still so innocent too (like when he's reading a book and there's a word he can easily sound out, but he won't, because he thinks it might be a bad word.  Or how he still believes Daddy is magic because he does magic tricks and makes things disappear.  And how he still believes he can fly and/or breathe underwater.  And that he's already planning his leprechaun trap for next St. Patricks Day.)

Now while he's the perfect kid for me, I don't want to paint the picture to anyone that he's "perfect".  He has bad table manners, plays with his food, talks about anything related to a potty all the time, bites his nails, whines, is easily influenced by his friends, and teaches his little sister all sorts of bad habits.  But I still think he's pretty awesome and as always I'm realizing how fast time flies and trying to "let him be little."

He wants to be a marine biologist when he grows up.  He loves any and everything about ocean animals.  Hence, he still watches Octonauts all the time (and Caillou and Olivia with Kate if I'm being honest).  And I'm totally ok with that!    

Collin did well during his first season of baseball.  He played some second base and outfield and he hit a home run during his last at bat of the season!  And he had a great time playing!

At age 7, he loves any sort of technology.  He loves the iPad, kindles, and his "phone" (Daddy's old one that doesn't make calls.)  His favorites by far are Dragon Story and Minecraft.  He loves playing Draw Something (the drawing game) with Mommy and Macey as well.

He has gotten much, much less fearful of trying new things.  He still gets easily frustrated when something doesn't come easily, but can now ride his scooter and a bicycle (without training wheels) up and down our street (which has some pretty big hills!).  He has also learned to jump rope this year.  And he loved sledding during our two snows this year!  He's also doing great at swimming and running and jumping into the pool this year.  He has learned flips and handstands in the pool as well as forward/backward rolls on land and tries to do handstands.  

He loves to help Daddy build anything downstairs.

I think this is him either working on Kate's closet or the shelves for our printers/DVD in the living room.

But if there's one thing I tell him almost daily, it's that I love how big his heart is.  In the picture above, you will see Collin with his snowman.  We decided to leave on this day to go to Gulfport.  He seriously stood in front of this guy and cried for a good 5 minutes because he would be melted when we returned :)

But mostly I see it in his love for his little sis.

I realized how much love he had for her way back when he was 4.  He had to get those awful 4 year old shots (I think he got 5 at once.)  They offered him 2 prizes from the prize box for being such a big boy.  Without even thinking twice about it, he picked out one for him and one for Katelyn.

And it's just continued from there.  When he takes money for the school store, he spends an equal amount on himself and Kate.

He got a gamestop gift card for his birthday for $15.  He picked out a $10 game.  And immediately offered the $5 to Kate for a game she wanted.

We went to Kohls one day as a special treat for him.  (He wanted yet another $5 stuffed animal.)  He absolutely refused to leave the store without one for Kate too.

When we go to eat lunch, etc. with him at school, he includes his sister and gives her the biggest hugs when she is there.

Katelyn was sick during Spring Fling/Movie Night at his school so just he and I went.  He was so sad she couldn't go, and half of his prizes went to her.

Collin was in a camp (Summer Search) through the gifted program this summer.  He learned how to make power point presentations all by himself.  Pretty amazing.  The first one he made at home?  A slideshow of all the Disney princesses for Katelyn and her friend Kendal.

So excited this night to realize they had matching PJs :)

Can you tell his "love language" is gifts? :)
 
Most of the time, these little acts of love are done for nothing in return.  Nothing that benefits him really.  It's just automatic for him to include her and I love to watch it.  (Except last week, when Katelyn "needed" a Frozen gift from the Disney store for her last day of Frozen dance camp.  He wanted a plane that day.)