7 Years Old

The Birthday Boy is getting ready to say, "Pikachu!" (for all you non-Pokemon types, that is the name of his favorite character and also the guy who is on his cake.

Calvin got a Pokemon index for his birthday, and he loves it.  And so do we.  I love to listen to Pokemon stats everyday all day.  

For his birthday Calvin wanted to do this bungee/trampoline/bouncy thingy at the mall.  He loved it, but he loved it very cautiously.  He was a teeny bit afraid, but still managed to crank out a few flips.  Wyatt and I were too scared to try.

And last, but not least, we sang to him, and we ate cake.

Dear Calvin,

I have started to dread writing you this letter every year because it means that there is one more year come and gone and one less year you are mine.  Six was a great year for you.  Looking back it seems like you have matured so much.  Your sense of humor is getting so cute, and I love to listen to you laugh when you think something is funny.  It is contagious.  

Thank you for such a wonderful year.  Thank you for learning to ride your bike so that I have a buddy to ride along with me.  It is fun to look for giant rabbits and lizards on our outings.  You are a good boy, Calvin.  I can see that in your heart.  You always try to do the right thing, and that makes me proud.  I love that are so bright and competent in your schooling.  I hope that you will always keep that same drive.  I like to help out in your classroom and watch you as you go about your school work.  I'm so impressed that you know the water cycle (among many other things).  I don't think I knew that at your age.  You are amazing!

You are such an important part of our family.  You are a good big brother to Wyatt and Cyrus.  I know that you get frustrated having to deal with Wyatt's antics, but I am glad when you are patient with him.  You two are becoming such good friends.  He admires you and tries to be like you because you are such a great big brother.  Thank you for being so sweet to Cyrus.  He loves you and tries to be just like you too.  He will grow up looking to see how you act.  Thank you for getting him out of his bed in the morning and getting him little snacks.  That is adorable.  Sometimes I purposely don't get him out of bed because I like to watch you carry him into our room. 

As I mentioned, you are very into Pokemon.  I have some learning to do.  Mario and Thomas characters have been easy for me to learn, but these new guys are swimming in my head.  There are so many of them, and you seem to know them all and everything about them.  

"There were bells on a hill, but I never heard them ringing.  No, I never heard them at all 'til there was you."  It's true. I knew life was sweet and good and wonderful, but I had not idea how much until you came along.  You changed my life forever and ever, and I wouldn't go back for anything in this world.  I hope for everything good to come into your life as you grow up, and I hope that you become a Dad just like your Dad.  I hope that you find as much happiness in your role as a parent as Daddy and I do.  I hope that you grow up and are successful and happy and good.  But just don't do it yet.  Don't grow up, or if you must go easy on me and don't do it quickly.  Sometimes I think how rich my life is with my little family, and I feel so grateful.  It's all I have ever wanted.  

I love you.

xoxoxo Mom

Things to Know about our New 7 Year Old:

- He likes to wear comfy shorts (anything non-jean) as soon as he gets home from school and on weekends

-He is a very good writer and likes to rewrite books that he has read complete with his own illustrations

-Oatmeal is still his favorite food, and he eats it at least twice a day,  and probably more if I would let him.

-He is so strong that he can bring in the big garbage cans from the street every Thursday without breaking a sweat.

-If he thinks that what he is asking you is too much, he will say, "Don't worry about it." (cute)

-Like a true boy, he is most comfortable sleeping in his underwear.

-He doesn't need any help getting ready. He can shower, dress, brush his teeth, and pack his lunch all on his own.

-He loves to cook and even invented his own recipe "Milk Muffins." They need a little tweaking, but I'm sure after he does, they will no longer be a liquid muffin, but more of a bready one.

-He is a great prayer.  He says the sweetest, most genuine prayers.

-He loves to dance, especially to "Dynamite" "Party Anthem" and "Tonight, Tonight"

-He's awesome.

Update on Our Lives

Wyatt started preschool this past month, and he is loving it!! He wanted me to take his picture with him facing backwards and looking over his shoulder.  I think he may be ready for the red carpet.  Look for him at the Oscars.  

At the park.  Always at the park.  Can you believe Cyrus can climb that ladder thingy.  He goes fast, too!  He's a monkey.

 The boys bought bikes this past month, and we have been enjoying riding them in the evenings after dinner.  Calvin lost the training wheels just a few days after he got the bike, but Wyatt still wants to keep his on (even though I don't think he needs them, but don't tell him I told you that).  I don't know what made me more proud: that they are riding so well or that they bought them with their own money.  

We went to the fair this past weekend.  They were running a special:  we thought it would cost an arm and a leg, but it turns out you could get by with just an arm.  Nevertheless, we enjoyed funnel cakes, fried oreos, tri tip sandwiches, snow cones, cotton candy, fried tacos, etc. etc.  Oh, and the rides and games were fine too.  

And Missoni came to Target, but I bet you already knew that.

So here is the boring stuff without pictures:

Noah - He doesn't have to leave for work until 9:30, so we get to spend the morning with him, and I don't have to drag the little boys out of bed to walk Calvin to school.  He doesn't usually get home until 6:30 or 7, but we still get to enjoy him in the evening.  Also, Noah and I have joined the ranks of those who have TVs in their bedrooms, and we often stay up too late watching episodes of 30 Rock on Netflicks.  We especially think Jack Donaghy is hilarious.  I think that this might me a good place to mention one of my favorite things that Noah does for the boys.  Noah will often draw at church to keep his hands busy.  A lot of times he will draw things for the boys to keep them quiet.  A few weeks ago he drew Wyatt this picture of a dog bone that was a big as the page.  Then he drew a tiny little bite mark in the bone and a tiny little dog standing beside of it.  Wyatt was smiling from ear to ear just thinking about how awesome it would be to be a dog with a ginormous bone.  It was too cute. It made me think that if someone gave me a piece of birthday cake that big that I would be as happy as that tiny little dog.  In fact, I would even be that happy if the piece of cake was regular size.

Katie - Well, Missoni came to Target.  That was the biggest event in my life since Cyrus was born.  I ran over there early Monday morning to find that it wasn't actually coming until Tuesday.  Then I went again on Tuesday and walk the store over and over and over taking things in and out of my cart, calling any sort of advice giver I could talk to trying to decide just what thing I should get.  And that's how boring I am.  And also, I clean the house and pick up kids and go running.

Calvin - He is loving first grade and his teacher. I am so proud of him.  He is reading well and learning more and more everyday.  I have to tell him to turn his lamp off at night after an hour of reading, which secretly makes me so happy that he loves to read.  I have enjoyed tracking down books that he likes at the library and having them waiting for him when he gets home.  As I mentioned, he is riding his bike so well.  He is great at riding, but had a little bit of trouble learning to get started on his own.  I think that will come with time.  He has been riding along with me when I go running, and we have a lot of fun just visiting and tell jokes together.  I have a feeling these will be some of my most choice memories of us.

Wyatt - Ahh, Wyatt.  He is going to preschool four days a week and also attending Katie's school of responsibility and chores.  It actually is fun to work together.  After Calvin gets off to school, he and I spend some time together each morning doing his chores.  I hope I have fooled him into believing that chores are just a game because right now he thinks that unloading the dishwasher is just a game of hot and cold.  He also has been bitten with the Nintendo bug.  He used to not care, but now I find that not only his interest has increased, but also his skill.  He's better than me!  I can no longer bail him out of tough levels.  In fact, he usually had to bail me out!  And oh yeah, he still loves Rico.

Cyrus - He thinks that he wants to give up his naps, but I am brainwashing him into a few more months of napping.  Recently he has started saying more and more words: Costco (I couldn't be more proud), taco, Pablo (he loves Backyardigans), Uh-Oh, and quite a few more.  He is also extremely generous with his kisses though sometimes they are french kisses.  I have had to give him the talk about how that isn't really appropriate to try and french your mother, but he still tries.  He also got a little bike (though not with his savings).  It's a little tricycle with a handle that we can use to push him with. HE LOVES IT, and tries to put his favorite puppy on it and push it around.  He also has developed a su-weet ear-piercing scream that he saves for appropriate places like church and the store.

A Victimless Crime

Back in the day when we only had one child, Noah and I would often take turns waking up with him when he got up sooooooooo early and would turn on Elmo to grab a couple more minutes of sleep.  It was win/win. We had kind of forgotten about Elmo because Calvin and Wyatt are into older boy cartoons and often times Sesame Street doesn't interest them like it used to.  Noah, however, remembered one of Calvin's favorite Elmo clips (Elmo's Song) and pulled it up on YouTube for Cyrus. And now another addict is born.  

You will find no apology here.  I am not sorry that I let my not even two year old indulge as long as he wants while I make dinner.  I have to be honest with you, I was getting a little tired of tripping on all of the pots and pans that he places all over the kitchen like land mines while I'm cooking away.