Dear Oskar,
You’re seven years old today. A tall, long-legged boy missing his front two teeth—exactly what you’d picture a seven-year-old to be. A boy growing into his lanky body. There has been so much change for you this year and we can’t even begin to tell you how proud we are of you. The most beautiful, smart, kind-hearted, and empathetic little soul.
You spent almost your entire kindergarten year at home, learning on a laptop and working so independently, making your way through your required curriculum but also begging and pleading to skip ahead, diving into 1st and 2nd grade workbooks when given the chance. We finally felt comfortable sending you to in-person school for your 4th quarter and held our breath, hoping that what you learned at home was enough to make it through. Oskar, you thrived. You made friends immediately when most of the kids had already spent the entire academic year together. You know, and say hi, to every single person you pass on your way in the door and spend most of your days alongside two little boys, an inseparable trio. We received feedback at every drop off or notes written home, with just one representative example being the following:
I also just wanted to take a moment to let you know how much we truly love having Oskar in our K-plus program. He has joined right in like he has been here all year. He also is very intelligent, and I would highly suggest that he is tested for advanced math if his kindergarten teacher hasn't already suggested it. He is also such a polite and respectful little boy and I wanted to let you know that you have done an unbelievable job in raising him. Thank you so much for allowing him to be a part of our program.
My heart exploded reading that, and it does every. single. time. Kind and polite most importantly, always, but also just so smart. You did sit for that advanced math test they talked about and qualified to skip an entire grade. You’ll be starting second grade math in the fall. It’s not an exaggeration that it was YOU who did this, always wanting to know more, learn more, and to work ahead on your own. You’re so curious and so driven, and truly do not give up until you get whatever you put your mind to.
You’ve also grown into such a good big brother. August and you are as close as ever and fight just as much as ever. The way brothers just 21 months apart are bound to be. August still idolizes you and loves nothing more than playing with you, whether it be LEGOs or Nintendo or Star Wars, your three favorite things. When you two fight it drives me insane, with me forcing apologies and time outs, but you’re always both over whatever it was that happened approximately 5 seconds later, like you have no idea what I’m even talking about anymore. Then its back to whatever it was that you were playing in the first place.
You’ve also had a special connection with Maren from the very beginning and watching you two grow up together is something really amazing. Sometimes I feel like I’m getting glimpses of what you two will be like as adults and I imagine you calling each other or hanging out on a weekend. You’re always watching out for her and will always jump to help me when I need it. She makes you giggle all the time, and she’s just now starting to try to say “Oskar” (which really sounds like AW-K) and you eat it up. Your favorite game together is hide and seek, and you always hide in places where she can find you so she’ll give you her biggest smiles. Her favorite thing in life is going to the bus stop to pick you up, and screams, “BUS! BUS!” when she sees it coming, knowing her big brother is coming home.
As far as routine goes, you’ll ALWAYS be Oskar, I just know it. Up at 6am (or before), every day. School really does wipe you out, and on the days you still have soccer practice or a game to go to afterwards, you can hardly keep it together at 8pm and are fast asleep shortly thereafter. You still love and take care of 8 little stuffed animal bunnies, your “Hoppies”, that you line up methodically in the same order on your pillow where you sleep every night. You really believe in their magic and that they come alive every night, some of the last true bits of childhood innocence and wonder. You still go to karate every week, your longest lasting activity (going on 4 years now) and tested into a yellow belt earlier this year. You were so proud of yourself. You love to read, and we made our way through the whole Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Dogman series (again), Bad Guys Club series, and are now starting the Goosebumps series, which you just can’t get enough of. One of my favorite things in the world is sitting outside under our awning reading with you.
The biggest change from last year in you is that I’m starting to feel the slow and subtle shift of your needs, changing from physical to emotional. You don’t need me to pick you up or to cuddle you that much anymore, but instead we have talks about how it feels to play on a soccer team that loses a lot, or how nervous trying something new makes you, or your friends at school, or how weird and hard COVID has been. I knew this would happen, eventually, but it really feels like a huge leap into being a big kid.
Overall, we’re just so thankful that life is slowly shifting back to some normalcy, with school, friends, and trips in our future. I’m so thankful we’ve all stayed healthy and you’ve still thrived beyond our wildest dreams. Oskar, we are so, so, lucky you are ours. You’re truly an amazing and resilient little human.
Part of me can’t believe you’re seven, but the other part knows you’ve been an old soul all along. What we wouldn’t give for another year like this one: a happy, healthy, beautiful, curious, and kind little boy who loves his friends and loves his family and does pretty darn well with all the other stuff too.
Happy seventh birthday, Oskar. We love you more than you’ll ever know.
Love,
Mama