Gray

Well I am really enjoying what feels like extra time with Gray since Joshua has started school. I notice so much more about him and can focus on him so much better. And he's just so adorable. Sorry, I'm biased I know. He cracks himself up all the time, which in turn makes me laugh and this boy just loves to make people laugh. He told me today he wanted to be Larry Boy (veggietales) so he can have a rocket and make people laugh.

We're doing school together several days a week and mostly working on reading and writing. He has been writing his name this week and is making so much progress. He also enjoyed drawing a picture the other day and is just starting to get the concept of going beyond scribbling to make a figure of something. His reading is picking up too, now that we're a little more consistent. He doesn't love it, but then again he pretty much shies away from anything that is hard work! I know that I taught Joshua much more when he was 4, but I find it hard to see Gray as ever being old enough to understand the same things his big brother did. I'm finding he can, though, if I give him a chance.

He takes such pride in his work and longs for approval, especially from Joshua. Slowly Joshua is remembering to give compliments when Gray shows him something he did. I am also seeing how caring Gray can be. The other day I was carrying a big load out to the road for recycling and dropped a box. Gray immediately ran up and said, "I'll get that for you!" What a gentleman!

I do have to watch his interactions with Julia, though. There are times that he just loves her and wants to help her. And then there are other times. Yesterday she made the mistake of breaking his stick and I found him forehead to forehead with her, screaming at her that she shouldn't have done that...to the point that she toppled over!

Gray is soo ready to go to kindergarten. He regularly asks me if it is his turn to go and today when I was explaining the process of school picture day to Joshua, he eagerly asked if he would get to go get his picture made too. I try to tell him how much I love being home with him this year, but that seems to be little consolation.

Today we were driving home and Joshua mentioned that someone in his class had a girlfriend and I asked him if he knew what that meant, which he didn't really, so I explained it all something like this: God wants men and women to get married and like the way each other looks and like to hug and kiss each other (resounding "gross!" from Joshua) so at some point boys start thinking that girls are pretty and that's just part of God getting them ready to have a wife one day ("But I'm going to always live with you," was Joshua's response). I went on to explain that when they are older, they start to want to take them on dates and spend time with them and try to figure out if she is the one God wants them to marry, but when they are little it's kind of silly to say you have a girlfriend and it really just means a friend. After that long conversation, which I mostly directed at Joshua, Gray pipes up in the back seat and says in an exasperated voice, "But Mommy! I already think Julia is pretty!" He further insisted that he would marry her one day:)

I just can't get enough of him!!