Sept Update

We're a couple of weeks from your eighth birthday. You're getting so big. You're more loving, sweet, kind, patient, funny, intelligent, and fun to be with than ever. You've really come a long way this year. 

Some of the things I think you'd like to know about or remember when you are grown:

You used to be kind of haughty and sassy toward me around others. You aren't anymore. 

I have had quite a few people tell me that you are such a good boy. At one of our Homeschool gatherings, a mom who observed us throughout the day later complimented me on how polite and respectful you are. And one of my closest friends thinks you are the best kid ever (this is NOT the only reason she's one of my best friends). 

You are a read-a-holic. You read books that are way above your grade level. We just finished reading together, "The Ship's Cat Doris" by Jane Simons, and we are now reading, "Beryl, A Pig Gone Wild" by the same author. You are reading a book called "Bulldog Won't Budge" by T.T. Sutherland. You are also into a book series called "Doyle and Fossey Science Detectives". You read about 3-5 medium length kids' novels a week, not including what you have to read for school. 

You are a pretty picky eater. I blame your parents. You really only like to eat pizza, tacos, chicken nuggets (thankfully, I've nailed down a homemade recipe you actually like), cheese burgers, ham and cheese sandwiches COLD ONLY, hot dogs, apple sauce, any berries but blue, bananas, apples, pear, carrots, peanut butter and jelly sometimes, meatballs (meatball sandwiches), meat loaf, cereal, pancakes, muffins, lemon poppyseed anything, french toast, waffles, and your absolute favorite... eggs benedict. 

That may seem like quite a list, and I'm sure it's missing an item or two, but this is NOT a lot to chose from when it comes to feeding time. You don't even like spaghetti anymore!
I honestly don't worry much as long as you keep drinking your green drinks.

After hating Frank almost as much as you hated Apple when she was a puppy, you finally love Frank, almost as much as you love Apple now. You'll never love any dog like you love your Pug Doug. She is your princess. You make her a special bed of pillows and blankets in whatever room you are in, and she sleeps with you every night. You have about 100 "pet" names for her. 

We'd all still like a teacup Chihuahua. It's a sickness - this dog thing. 

WE ARE NOT GETTING A CHIHUAHUA. 

You're doing brilliantly in school. Well, if I'm going to honestly gush on and on about how amazingly genius you are, I will honestly add that you aren't great at math. Mainly subtraction... I've never seen you pick something up and not wax with it by the end of a lesson. Math waxes you more than not. I'm not stressing over it though. You're so young, and there is plenty of time (and brain development) for catching on. 

Back to how well you are doing... 
You are in an accelerated writing curriculum. I basically had to train and test to even know how to teach it to you. It's INSANE! I'm learning so much. And you are treating it like it's baby stuff. Sometimes, I even double your lessons (like today) just so you're not board. 

When I was a kid I studied and memorized things for tests, and then as soon as the test was over I forgot at least 80% of what I "learned".
You learn stuff, and it's like you love it. You act like you've gained something from it. Like you got a new toy. And your retention is out of this world. 

For example: last week, two of your 12 vocab words in Geography were biotic and abiotic. You aced the vocab test in the first try (not uncommon) and then today, you were playing and you said, "Stop that you crazy thing... I am not a thing. I am biotic. Not abiotic."   

Your vocabulary is vicious. Your Dad and I love it. 

I wish I found more time and motivation to write here for you. I'm less guilty over not keeping up now that you are of an age that you will likely remember. 
I am having you post here this school year now and then. 

I'm sure I'll be back now and then too. :)