Matthew

Matthew. This kid is beyond excited about school starting. He's going to be a big kid in the first grade. He has been talking about it like crazy since we went and started the registration process last week. I know he's my son because he seems to be the most excited about the cafeteria.

Sometimes I feel like I'm in such a hurry for him to grow up. I feel this way because out of the three, (I'll be honest) he is my most challenging. There's always got to be one. But I also mean that he seems to have a lot more energy contained in that little body compared to the other two when they were the same age. Add to that he is not afraid of anything. He was the climber when he was a baby, and the one who always wanted to see how many stairs he could jump between him and the floor below. The fact that he's made it close to 6 years without a broken bone is really kind of a miracle!

He also doesn't back down from anything. It's frustrating at times getting into a battle of wits with a 5 year old, but as an adult that is a characteristic I think is good in life. He's not going to take crap from anybody. That is for sure. Matthew is a leader.... not a follower.

But today he reminded me of the sweetness and innocence of a 5 year old. He has been carrying this little Thomas catalog with him everywhere for a couple of weeks now. He even falls asleep with it in his hand at night. Plus it has been out of state to Ohio and Indiana. It's a well traveled little catalog.

Today he decided he wanted to send it off along with a letter to santa, so santa would know what he wanted for Christmas this year. He's my last believer. He wrote the cutest note asking for one (or all) of the things in the catalog. He made sure to include "Please" because as he says, "If you don't say please then Santa gets mad and sends that toy to some other kid."

He was out in his sandbox the other day (we had to buy one because Kentucky does not have any sand. The nerve. Seriously, it is kind of weird that all of the parks have wood chips which aren't all that fun to dig in or play with construction trucks.) I was sitting on the deck outside with him and listening to him talk nonstop. He was telling me stories. He started to tell me how he wants to go on vacation to that place where we went that had the cool beach. (It was in Cabo) Of all the beaches he's been too, he remembers that being the best beach in the world.

He said, "All we have to do is hop on a plane and woo woo (with his hand flying through the air) we are at the beach and we can play in the sand." Ah, if only it was that easy. No packing, no planning, just hop on a plane and woo woo... you are there. I love the mind of a 5 year old. Infact I'm going to try that theory out with my housework. Woo woo.