I'm the mom of a SIX year old?!?

It's so hard to believe that my Andrew is Six Years Old. He's so big and has grown so much so fast. In fact, I when I go back and look at older photos, I often double check the date because I think the pictures must be older than they are, since he's changed so much. This boy's got growin' down!

Andrew, this is your Kindergarten year and you are absolutely L.OV.I.N.G it! I think you have a great teacher in a great school and I'm shocked almost daily at how much you are learning.

Your reading is especially exciting as I can actually watch you improve from week to week. Although it is somewhat of a challenge for your dad and myself as we can't exactly spell things we want to keep secret anymore. The surprise, lately, has been your interest in math. You are constantly asking us to ask you story problems and one of your favorite toys lately has been our little calculator. Funny, huh.

You are also WAY into video games. WAY into. Like WAY too much. And the funny thing is, is that we don't let you play them very often at all. You get to play Daddy's video game system like twice a month and your computer games a couple times a week and yet... that's all you want to do. So we try to use it as a reward for things well done and limit your games to educational ones.

According to you, gym class is your favorite thing about school and music class is your least. I'm not sure why you don't like music since I can never get you to talk about it much. But apparently in gym you play this "Spider in the Web" game that thrills you.

You love basketball-stay-up-late-Friday night. It's a family tradition that becoming a favorite among all of us... but you truly love sitting next to Daddy learning the game (as opposed to your brother who just loves staying up late regardless of the purpose.) You've gotten to participate in a few basketball classes this past year and fully enjoyed them.

Lately, your favorite food is Subway's grilled chicken sandwich with bacon on the Italian cheese bread. It's daddy's favorite and therefore it's yours, too. We find that connection a lot lately. You want to know what team Daddy wants to win, and that's your team, too. You want to know whose daddy's favorite player, because that's yours, too. I don't think Daddy minds sharing his favorites with you one bit.

 Most of the time, you play great with your brother. Really, great. And you are so helpful when it comes to him. Often you assist him without even me asking first. And the creativity you show to when you're together amazes me. I know that AJ is learning so much more with you as a big brother than he would without you.

Happy Birthday, Buddy. It's hard to believe how fast the last 6 years have flown by. I want to rub my eyes when I see how big you are, thinking they are playing tricks on me. Your vocabulary, your body language, your comprehension, your curiosity are all creeping closer and closer to a young adult. It's scary and thrilling. It's convenient and sad. It truly fills me to pride and awe watching how He's still workin' on you.