You are gentle and sweet, silly and strong. Your teachers have always commented on your happy disposition and loving nature. They've also commented on your thirst for knowledge and concentration on subjects that capture your imagination. I've delighted in our conversations as you ask questions to try to figure out the world around you. Your ability to take information and apply it to many situation shows me you will never be short of problem solving skills, even as you melt into tears of frustration because you refuse to ask for help.
This year you started Kindergarten! What a change. For as much as you do in class, it still surprises me how little you talk about it when you get home. You'd much prefer to tell me about your after school program, which makes me feel at least a little silly for worrying so much about you adjusting to all of the newness.
Little Dog looks up to you and tries to mimic your every action. It's adorable, and the way you think of him and try to make every race a tie, every contest a draw almost offsets the out and out brutality of your fights! I'm still getting used to that, though I've been reassured you two are completely in line with other brothers of your ages. Sigh.
Your soft spot seems to be for animals. You love your Nikita, showering her with kisses and hugs. And she loves you right back. The chickens have been such surprise hit. I thought their appeal might fade once they were no longer fuzzy chicks, but you still delight in letting them out every morning, greeting them each by name. "Good morning, Odile. Good morning, Chicky Roboto. Good morning, Chicky-chicky-chicky. Good morning, Drumstick." Collecting the eggs has been another source of your contagious joy as your face breaks into a full grin as soon as you see an egg in the next box.
And there have been some difficult moments this year too. You set your expectations of yourself so high. You don't accept your own perceived failures and refuse to understand that learning involves stretching that can sometime feel frustrating. Things usually come easy to you, but as you advance you see there is so much you don't know yet. I hope you learn to give yourself the room to not always be perfect, because that burden is too much for anyone, let alone a 6 year old boy.
I love you, big guy. Happy birthday. I can't wait to see what this new year brings for you and see all the challenges and changes. Watch how you adapt and grow. Just don't grow up too quickly, ok?
2 comments:
Happy Birthday Big Dog! We miss you and hope to see you soon!
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