*We're slowly but surely working on making friends here. In the mean time, you're still keeping in contact with old friends. Letter writing is a big part of that. You're always writing letters and getting a lot of letters back in return. Another big part of that is playing video games with them online. I love that you're playing with friends and keeping those friendships alive. I also love that you have friends who are girls. You're not weirded out by that yet (maybe never) and think that you can't hang out with girls because people will think you like them or something. I just remember being around 12, and would never have thought to ask another 12 year old boy to come over to hang out. It's all very natural to you, and I love it.
*As of May-ish, your voice is definitely changing! At first I thought you had caught the cold some of us did, but even after the cold went away, you're voice stayed deeper. It's a little squeaky and I love it so, so much.
*Since you turned 9 last year, there have been marked hormonal changes that make you a bit more dramatic that necessary. I remember Miles going through the same thing. It mostly manifests when it's time to do math. This was also a sore spot for Miles, and he's mostly grown out of it, so my fingers are crossed you'll do the same. But right now, the gauge for how successful our homeschool day was depends a lot on how hard your math assignment was. Most of the time, you understand the math just fine, but you get it in your head that you hate it and aren't good at it and then it drags out aaaalllll morning. Yelling, attitude and tears are usually involved.
Gwen
*I'm hoping this has to do with the aforementioned hormonal shift going on, but these days you are definitely my most sassy child. I am really hoping that by the time you are a teenager, you'll have sifted through all of this eye-rolling, and sarcastic tones etc, and occasional back talk....and just be back to my sweet Gwenny.
*You've confided in Dad and I that you have your first real crush on a boy. He has a crush on you too. When you told me that he revealed that he liked you, you said, "I was trying to play it cool, but I was pretty excited because I kind of have a crush on him too. But I don't want us to get serious or anything right now, cause I'm only 9." We found out you guys were texting each other a little too frequently, and had to have a chat. Oooooh boy! I told you that lots of boys would have crushes on you over the years and that you're not allowed to get a big head about it, and you promised you wouldn't.
*Whenever friends come over, I know I can count on you to be the leader of the pack and come up with something fun for everyone to do. You come up with fun games to play outside, or inside, and you present it in such a way, that everyone is excited to follow along. You're a natural leader and very creative that way.
Lindy
*We've recently switched Language Arts curriculums and it's going so much better! I don't know why it took me so long to switch! We went back to my tried and true, modge-podge LA curriculum, and it's so much less pressure for you. We also started utilizing an online reading tutor (Savvy reading) and that seems to be helping a lot too- if only just to build up your confidence. You've started trying to read print that you see everywhere and sound things out. You're really blossoming into a reader!
*You are a perfectionist and also very determined. This tells me that as you go through life, you're going to hold yourself to a very high standard...and that you'll probably achieve it....and then you'll need to take some mental health days. :) I feel like I can relate to that. If there's something that's hard for you, you work through your frustrations till you've accomplished it. You've got grit. The first time I remember noticing that is when you conquered the monkey bars after working for weeks to master them. The first of my kids to care to do so! Then I started noticing the same pattern in your life since you were born. Lately it's been to master going into a back-bend from a standing position, just like Gwen. Before you could only do a backbend from the floor, but now you're so proud to show everyone how you can do it from standing.
Benson
*You love screen time! And you're smart and sneaky enough that you frequently sneak the mouse and can navigate your way to your favorite youtube videos. (and you're 4!)
*You are such a lovey-dovey boy. You area always telling me how much you love me and want to give me kisses and hugs and pick flowers for me, and tell me how beautiful I am.
*You are also still full of mischief. Whole rolls of toilet paper covered in pump soap and soaked in the toilet, sneaking the cats inside and letting them loose in the house, making "potions" out of whatever you can find, shaving off tufts of your hair with dad's beard trimmer, sneaking out of the house through the windows because you got in trouble, or just because...etc.
*Lately I've been able to see the wheels in your head really turning. Im struggling to remember specific quotes, but I can tell you're thinking about things critically these days. You pay waaaaay more attention that we think you are. When we do read alouds, I'm always pretty sure it's all going right over your head. But then we'll be chatting and you'll make some connection to the book we're reading and it blows me away! You also frequently explain things in such detail that it becomes confusing to the person listening, unless that person's already aware of your subject. If we've seen the movie etc. you're talking about, your descriptions are pretty spot on. But if the person doesn't know the plot line of your story already, it sounds like gibberish.
Davy
*I've noticed you're very particular lately about things on your hands and feet. If you step in something "unsavory" with bare feet, you start whining. It happens more often with your hands. If anything sticky, slimy, gritty etc get on your hands, you immediately want it wiped off.
*I can't remember if I've written this here before, but you are going through a very picky phase when it comes to the songs I'm allowed to sing to you at bedtime. For a while it was the Color Songs from Cori Connors, but only certain colors at a time. Then it was certain primary songs, then other songs I know. Very picky.
*You hate to eat dinner. You usually don't fight breakfast and lunch, but you usually refuse to eat any thing at dinner. It's some very unwanted drama at an already stressful time of day.
*Your language is exploding right now! You say new things every single day and are starting to string words together to make sentences. My favorites are "Ooopt!" for Oops and "Choo-Choop!" for Choo-choo or train, "funnies!" for bunnies, and "Huggie!" for hug. :)
*You have decided to start potty training. I should be glad that you're ready and willing, but I wasn't ready for it! So I haven't jumped in with both feet yet, but we will soon. In the mean time, you're loving sitting on the potty and having success frequently. You also love to tell us "stiiiink" when you go #2 in your diaper and you want it off right then. If we don't get it off quickly enough, you'll just rip it off and leave it somewhere. Or worse, stick your hands in it, rip it off, and then start crying that your hands are yucky. **Update: As of April-ish, you're officially potty trained. It was really pretty painless. Your hard phases went quickly, and now you're clean and dry all the time. You rarely have accidents. We all think it's funny when you go #2, and you call the poop "rocket ships". If you're being laid down for a nap/bedtime, you ask to go potty multiple times, and if it's a new potty someplace else, you want to use it multiple times too. (exhausting)
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