Sam I Am, That Sam I Am

My younger son, Samuel, celebrated his 7th birthday last week, so while in Virginia we had a little celebration with the extended family. He's so different from my older son - and very much like me it turns out. Looking at my photos from this age one sees an obvious physical resemblance (so no, there aren't any doubts about his paternity). In terms of his personality, he's bright, introspective, inquisitive, artistic, exhilarating, and frustrating - sometimes all in the same hour. Unfortunately he also seems to have inherited some of my insecurities and bad habits. Being a smart ass will undoubtedly get him into trouble at some point. He's also highly competitive, particularly with his brother, who is only 16 months older. With 2nd grade only a month away, he's actually looking forward to immersing himself once again in the routine of school. Academically he "gets it" and will likely find this next year only a slight challenge. More problematic will be how he adapts socially to a new class and teacher. So Happy Birthday, Sam.