Bubba's Post.

He wants to replace Jack Sparrow when he grows up.

He knows everything. Really. Don't try and tell him differently.

He loves his cat, School Bus. He loves petting him. He knows the cat trusts him.

He is a complainer. He is, "I am so tired of doing everything around here!" "Just so you know the bus is never going to be here." "I always have to clean. Just clean, clean, clean, it is all I ever do." "I brushed my teeth last night!" "I hate taking a bath! I just took one two days ago!"

He'll lecture you on the dangers of smoking.

Forget getting away with anything with Ben! The other morning,"How many of those dot things have you had?" Me, "What? Milk duds? I had two." "Then why are there so many of those boxes in the trash?" "Dad and I both had some last night... "

He loves candy. He put it on his Christmas list this year.

Sometimes we wonder if he has a little asbergers. He'll spout off facts like a talking encyclopedia in a very serious and educational voice- like a little professor.

When he doesn't get his way, and he knows it will only get worse if he talks back, he'll stomp so hard I think the floor is going to break. He grinds his teeth when he is mad. And when we are disciplining him he answers us through clenched teeth, "Yesssss." "Noooo." It's funny. And both Theo and I laugh about it. That makes him even more mad.

He is an exaggerator extraordinaire. "I think I have like a hundred trophies." "I need like a million more lego sets." "My friends says he has like a hundred or more lego shirts."

He's manipulative. And greedy. He says, "Every year Santa brings me like 5 or 10 huge lego sets." I correct him, "No, Santa never brings more than one big set, maybe one small." So, shortly after this he coaxed Hunter into putting one of the big lego set he wants on Hunter's list to Santa, just to ensure he gets both sets he wants. No guilt of the sacrifice Hunter is making for him what-so-ever.

Sometimes he lets people control him, often acting like a slave to Hunter. You can hear Hunter say, "Ben, make me a bagel." "Ben, go get me some batteries for my remote." And he does.

He loves succulents. He will walks around a garden center with me for hours listening to me rant on and on about plants and insects. He notices things. "Mom, wow, look at that sunset!" "Mom, comes smell this rose!"

He's offended if you don't put Jesus first. And he'll tell you so.

He is an excellent cleaner and organizer. He'll put his nose to the grindstone, and not emerge for over an hour when the job is complete.

He is apprehensive. He is afraid of being mocked. After not learning to balance on his bike without training wheels he is absolutely refusing to try again. He is not caring that he's going to be 8 and in training wheels. He is a goofy big smile, a quick moving pointed gesture to emphasize his every point, a hurried awkward trollop of a run, going way too quickly, excitedly, rushing.

He has to share everything he makes with a story. Every little lego guy has a story. To live with him is to hear story after story after story all day long.

He laughs really loud. And sometimes uncontrollably. He sounds exactly like me as a child.

He is wearing his Abe Lincoln hat for days and days on end. He is not letting the teacher get away with deviating from the schedule. He is the first one done with his work in the classroom. He is rushing to finish so he can move on to the next thing. He is correcting you, no matter your status. He doesn't buy the pretense that adults and leaders know more than him. And not caring if he makes you feel small in the process. He is always right. He is wide toothy grin. He is random hugs called "huggies" in the middle of the day. He is torn shredded blankets he can't sleep with out. He is a lover red eyed tree frogs. He's a restless sleeper. He is falling on the floor in the middle of the night, and not even noticing.

He has his father's eyes. Ears.

He is so excited the kids at school think he is a good soccer goalie. He's most proud of blocking the ball with his face.

He's so smart, we struggle to keep him stimulated. So does his teacher.

He is still talking about how they all loved the lego airplane he brought for show and tell weeks ago. He dropped it on the way in the doors of the school, and I am so thankful I saw it happen because I was able to stop the car, get out, and help him rebuild it and then take it into the classroom. Broke my heart, but we rebuilt exact, and he wasn't nearly as upset about it as I was on the inside. If I drove him to school he'd bring legos for show and tell all the time.

He has incredible penmanship.

He loves trophies. He talks about his wrestling medals all the time. In fact he doesn't even care if he earns the trophy- Hunter can earn medals for him on the wii, and he's just as proud to have them sit beside his name (or on his shelf in his room).

He talks endlessly about his "really close friend" at school. We learned this week that he makes notes and pictures for this friend, and the friend's refrigerator is covered in things from Ben.

He loves taking the school bus so much.

He brings a proud smile to both our faces everyday, sometimes more than once a day. He makes us laugh, and brings us so much joy, pride, and love. He's our Bubba.