My sweet little Brooksie is 7!! I can't believe it. He is obsessed with basketball, not necessarily college but will watch any NBA game. He will ask to watch basketball every night when Russ gets home from work. Even if there isn't a game on he will try to watch a recording of a game, sometimes watching the recording multiple times. He loves to dunk it and wants so badly to be tall when he grows up (crossing my fingers for ya, bud). He prides himself on wearing only a size smaller shoe size then Hallie even though they are over 3 years apart. I have a feeling that in just a couple years he will be bigger and taller then Hallie. He yells "buckets" and "deeeep" and "lets goooo!" and flexes his muscles and pounds his chest when he plays basketball. His favorite players are Steph Curry, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He loves our basketball court in our backyard and is out there shooting and playing almost everyday. He reminds me so much of Russell it's crazy. He loves listening to rap songs, particularly "Lebron James on your feet" and "Soldier boy" (oh boy!) and has the best dance moves to accompany it. His raspy voice is just the cutest and his tooth that he had to get pulled out years ago is FINALLY growing in. He won't have a missing tooth smile anymore and I think I'm going to miss it. He still has the best smile though and my favorite belly laugh ever! He loves to eat frozen berries (blueberries) with yogurt. He can pound a little cesear's cheese pizza. He feels things big and has a tender heart. He is aware of other people's feelings and often says, "I feel bad for so and so because...." I love how he says "restructions" instead of instructions. I love how he has made up the phrase "train tracks" for when there are sock marks on your ankles and it is a term we all use in our family now. He has a constant runny nose and refuses to wipe it or blow it. So gross! He doesn't always respond with, "I love you too" when I tell him I love him but when he does choose to tell me, I know he means it. He usually has a "come apart" after he gets home from school and is either screaming and raging at everyone or emotional and crying. I think holding it all together for 7 hours at school is a lot for him and he just needs to release all his stress when he gets home. Russ said he was like that as a kid as well. Usually a snuggle helps him calm down. He has an anxious personality and trying new things makes him really nervous. Whether it is going down a big waterslide, getting a ride in the car with a teammate of his, or playing a new season of some sport he gets nervous. It usually takes several hours of observing the activity or some form of bribery for him to try it. He is not the best listener and usually when he asks to do something and I respond with "No" he says, "Well I'm going to do it anyway." Little terd. He loves playing video games, particularly NBA 2K. I have to pay close attention to how long he has been playing or else he would play it all day long. He sleeps in only boxer briefs and brings his giant blanket downstairs every morning to watch TV with, even though we have several blankets downstairs already. Stockton looks up to him so much and I hope that Brooks can be a good role model for him. We sure love our newest 7 year old! He is sweet and funny and my favorite middle child! :)
7 year old stats:
Weight: 59 lbs. (79% percentile)
Height: 50.25" (81st percentile)
On his birthday, he woke up to his door decorated with streamers, presents and crepes. He got his own markers (he always got upset that Hallie wouldn't share hers with him), NBA 2K video game, crocs and basketball croc charms, and a Utah Jazz sweatshirt (that was WAY too big and we exchanged it for 2 t-shirts, a Lebron James Laker shirt and a Steph Curry Warriors shirt). He headed off to school with treats for his entire class (sour watermelons). After school, we went to Braza Grill for dinner where we spent a fortune for Brooks to eat one bite of steak. We also got a classic family picture taken inside the restaurant, where Taco's true colors shined through. If there was a picture to capture someone's personality then that picture would certainly capture Stockton's. Haha! We ended the night with leftover cake and ice cream from his party with his grandparents yesterday. Happy birthday, buddy! Oh how much we love you!!
