Calvin is FIVE!
My little man Calvin just had a big day. He really wanted to have a Lego party, so we made it happen. He is obsessed with Legos thanks to his cousins Keith and Kason. He got to play with theirs in Utah when we were there last July. He never stopped talking about them and we finally gave in and got him some. Now it's a family obsession. We all go down and play at the Lego table all the time. The kids are so creative and have so much fun.
Calvin is really good at riding his bike, and he is a lot less clumsy than when he was younger. Not nearly as many crash and falls anymore. He loves to count everything and try to do math. He loves to memorize his favorite books and pretend to read them to us at night. Caleb let him play his video games on his PS3 a month ago for the first time and now that's all he talks about. So he's been earning video points for making good choices. He is so eager to please and follows rules very well, so he earns lots of points. Then when he gets enough he can sit down with Caleb, they make popcorn, and play monster truck racing games or skateboarding. One of my favorite things about Calvin is his ability to make friends and remember their name. Everywhere we go, he learns kids names and instantly makes friends. He will play anything they want to play and he will share with everyone. He has a lot of friends and almost never gets into an argument or fight. Well, I should clarify that all that applies unless it's his sister Shelby. They are best friends and they love each other and fight just like best friends do. He doesn't like to go anywhere without her and tries to get me to let them share a bedroom all the time. He constantly sneaks into her room in the morning and wait for her to wake up under her bed. Sometimes he just wakes her up, but I've been trying to get him to wait. Shelby is just like Caleb and can sleep in really late, so it drives him nuts. Calvin and I are up before the rest of the house all the time. He's an early to bed and early riser just like me. He will put himself to bed if we try to stay up to late. He comes to us often and says he's so tired and can he please go to bed. He's been that way since he was a baby.
Calvin gets to start Kindergarten next year and he will be going to the same school as Shelby. This year he was at Lee Elementary and she was at Pringle Elementary. That made them both very sad since they got to go to the same preschool at the same time last year at Sprague High School. They both got over it except for when one kid got to go to a field trip or do something fun at school that the other kid didn't get to do.
Calvin still loves "mighty machines" or any construction vehicle. He plays in the dirt and rocks every day. There are new homes being built right next door to us and he plays in their dirt and gravel piles as much as possible. He lays right on the dirt and gets it all over himself. If we see any construction anywhere, he begs us to stop or slow down in the car so he can watch. All the reading books he has memorized are about construction. When we told him that Caleb used to help build houses before dental school, Calvin gets so sad that dad decided to be a dentist instead. He doesn't understand why anybody would want to do anything besides construction.
Calvin is good at a lot of things, but one thing he's struggled with is fine motor skills. He didn't talk until he was three, and now he's behind when it comes to coloring or writing. He can't stand doing it. He doesn't enjoy it at all. He does like dry erase boards for some reason, so we got him one to try and encourage him to write. He does it for about two minutes and then he quits. Caleb is very patient with him and has taught Calvin how to write his name. It's a little shaky but he can do it. It's been a year since he's been trying to help him and we think he has it down. Shelby keeps telling him how many times a day he has to write his name in school next year and that's a big motivator for him. Other kids have commented to Calvin that he doesn't color or write very well and it makes him very sad and then he won't try again for a long time. Kids are just kids and they say things not knowing and it's going to happen. But I just wish sometimes that I could protect him and build his confidence first.
Calvin is really good at riding his bike, and he is a lot less clumsy than when he was younger. Not nearly as many crash and falls anymore. He loves to count everything and try to do math. He loves to memorize his favorite books and pretend to read them to us at night. Caleb let him play his video games on his PS3 a month ago for the first time and now that's all he talks about. So he's been earning video points for making good choices. He is so eager to please and follows rules very well, so he earns lots of points. Then when he gets enough he can sit down with Caleb, they make popcorn, and play monster truck racing games or skateboarding. One of my favorite things about Calvin is his ability to make friends and remember their name. Everywhere we go, he learns kids names and instantly makes friends. He will play anything they want to play and he will share with everyone. He has a lot of friends and almost never gets into an argument or fight. Well, I should clarify that all that applies unless it's his sister Shelby. They are best friends and they love each other and fight just like best friends do. He doesn't like to go anywhere without her and tries to get me to let them share a bedroom all the time. He constantly sneaks into her room in the morning and wait for her to wake up under her bed. Sometimes he just wakes her up, but I've been trying to get him to wait. Shelby is just like Caleb and can sleep in really late, so it drives him nuts. Calvin and I are up before the rest of the house all the time. He's an early to bed and early riser just like me. He will put himself to bed if we try to stay up to late. He comes to us often and says he's so tired and can he please go to bed. He's been that way since he was a baby.
Calvin gets to start Kindergarten next year and he will be going to the same school as Shelby. This year he was at Lee Elementary and she was at Pringle Elementary. That made them both very sad since they got to go to the same preschool at the same time last year at Sprague High School. They both got over it except for when one kid got to go to a field trip or do something fun at school that the other kid didn't get to do.
Calvin still loves "mighty machines" or any construction vehicle. He plays in the dirt and rocks every day. There are new homes being built right next door to us and he plays in their dirt and gravel piles as much as possible. He lays right on the dirt and gets it all over himself. If we see any construction anywhere, he begs us to stop or slow down in the car so he can watch. All the reading books he has memorized are about construction. When we told him that Caleb used to help build houses before dental school, Calvin gets so sad that dad decided to be a dentist instead. He doesn't understand why anybody would want to do anything besides construction.
Calvin is good at a lot of things, but one thing he's struggled with is fine motor skills. He didn't talk until he was three, and now he's behind when it comes to coloring or writing. He can't stand doing it. He doesn't enjoy it at all. He does like dry erase boards for some reason, so we got him one to try and encourage him to write. He does it for about two minutes and then he quits. Caleb is very patient with him and has taught Calvin how to write his name. It's a little shaky but he can do it. It's been a year since he's been trying to help him and we think he has it down. Shelby keeps telling him how many times a day he has to write his name in school next year and that's a big motivator for him. Other kids have commented to Calvin that he doesn't color or write very well and it makes him very sad and then he won't try again for a long time. Kids are just kids and they say things not knowing and it's going to happen. But I just wish sometimes that I could protect him and build his confidence first.
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