Drew

Drew turns 5 next Saturday, the 28th.  He has one year of preschool under his belt, and he fared better than I had originally expected.  His participation is nearly 100%, he can write his name and count past his starting point of "twelveteen."  Plus, he has made a host of friends, some physically disabled and some as rambunctious as he is.  Come fall, he'll be enrolled in the Pre-K program at the same school as his older siblings.  The idea is to bring his academics up to kindergarten speed and to fine tune his social skills. 

Some days, he seems so grown-up, and I find it all too easy to imagine him as an elementary student.  Then there are days like today---the umpteenth rainy day in a row.  He was literally bouncing off the walls.  He built a large and messy fort under his bed, with the neighbor kid's help.  He begged me to read his new books (thanks, Julie!) about snakes and insects (forget Curious George and Franklin the Turtle; we've definitely moved on).  He was constantly badgering for food.  He was a pest and a plague to his big sister and her school friend. 

After supper, Keith wrestled on the living room floor with all three boys.  Sweaty and disheveled, they finally called it quits.  That's when we noticed Drew's hair.  He was proud of his snip job at first, until he realized that WE were NOT!  The prospect of shaving his head---there is no other way to even it up---reduced him to tears.  I know, every kid does this at some point during childhood.  And that's just it.  This is at least the third time, and every time it is more drastic.  What could we do?  Well, for starters, we took away "scissors privileges" and a few other "big boys only" activities.  And I had to take a picture....just in case he has a little boy or two someday who take after their daddy, and he just can't understand "where they got those naughty genes!" 

He's happy 'cause he "likes it this way!"

Until he realized we didn't share that sentiment!