All I want for Valentine's Day is.....

my two front teeth, my two front teeth, my two front teeth.

Just when I thought he couldn't get any cuter, this happens!

The Derby

Last night, was the pinewood derby for N's cub scout troop! This is the car he designed and painted. The only thing Lance did for him was cut it out (by the design N gave him) and help him attach the weights! The painting and everything else was done by N. He was very proud! And so were we!

I've always thought N was adorable, but I must confess, I think he's even more adorable these days with his missing top tooth. The grown-up tooth is peeking thru so it won't be long that he'll have this toothy grin. But when you combine it with his freckles, well, it just does me in. This boy is likely to get away with a little more (at least with his mom!)

How many different land forms do you know?

'Cause I struggled to think of even two.

I was given a quiz last night by N. He had thought of 21 different land forms...and they couldn't be bodies of water...he was very clear on that. Which meant that canal and ocean were out.

So, here's what I came up with:

island
canyon
mountain
peninsula
cliff

and with some hints, I got a few more:

desert
arch


But, I missed:

mesa
valley
ridge
mound
berm
volcano
plains
forests
craters
and a whole bunch more that just boggle my mind to think of.

Now, granted some of his were stretching a bit (is there really something called a pin, but I was amazed that a 2nd grader could come up with all the different categories he did, as well as with illustrations to go along with them.

He insisted to me that I must have learned this stuff when I was in 2nd grade and that I had just forgotten it by now, but really, I don't think I ever knew it. And it could be, that science has just never really held my attention for more than say 5 minutes. But, this boy, science is his first love. I'm beyond amazed. He knows what a butterfly's tongue is called, for goodness sake.

He knows her name!

My boy, he is in love again. He was in love this summer, but he couldn't remember her name or what color she had. (Details, details) You know he's got that boy DNA running thru him!!

So, this time he knows the name of his love interest. It's Alex. She's cute, blonde, and 5 years old. He's in love with a younger woman, him being 6 and all. After school yesterday, they were playing outside and got hot so they came in for a drink of water. They got their drink and as they left the kitchen, they were holding hands. Oh me, oh my...too much for this momma! It was sweeeet.

Oh, I know it's not serious...this is the 3rd girl he has told us he would marry. Well, actually, 5th if you include his sister and me. 'Cause nothing says southern like planning to marry your sister. :)

My boy and his friends. He loves them, and they love him. The doorbell rings alot at our house, it does. And somehow it's almost never for Lance or I. Next thing you know, it will be the phone.

My boy

My boy, his heart is a breakin'. Really. At the age of 6 1/2. Yesterday, we were talking about some friends and he asked me if they broke up. "Broke up?" where did he hear that? Then he tells me....

his girlfriend broke up with him yesterday! His girlfriend?!?!?

He had briefly mentioned to me over the weekend that he had a girlfriend, but then got very shy about it and didn't want to talk to me. I didn't think anything else about it.

I was sad for him, because he was sad. But, he couldn't even remember her name, so I'm not thinking it was too major! He's way too young for this - but I know he is such an outgoing and loving person that he is bound to have many, many friendships in his life with both girls and boys. And I also know, that some (most) of those will end at some point. I can't imagine the teenage years with him and his sister. Oh boy, those will be rough, I'm sure.

So, last night, we sat on his bed and hugged and talked about his day - the good and the not so good. He's beginning to grow up - he's noticing things he hasn't before. And that's a good thing, but a little piece of my heart is breaking knowing he won't be "little" much longer.

The bullies are back...

I'm sad for N. There are a couple of brothers in our neighborhood who insist on picking on him. These boys are 9 and 11 so they are much bigger than N. We had developed an understanding over the last 5 months with this family. We had little contact with them and things were "okay".

Yesterday, things changed back to the "old ways". I took the kiddos to the pool and this family happened to be there. The boys asked N to play with them and then proceeded to call him stupid and terrorize him. N doesn't swim well, so he generally either stays in the shallow end or he wears a life jacket in the deeper end. These boys were pushing him under the water. I was with L in the shallow end and didn't immediately see what was happening. Once I realized what was happening, I went over there with L hoping that with me near by things would get better. They didn't. So, I had to take N back with me in the shallow end until they left.

N doesn't completely understand what's going on. He just asked me "why do they call me stupid? I'm not stupid, I'm smart." In our family, stupid is a "bad" word - one that we don't use, so that's another issue for N - they are using a "bad" word.

I know this is part of life, particularly for boys, and N will have to be tough and able to handle this. But, as a momma, it makes me mad! And it makes me mad at their momma who was laying in the deck chair reading a book, oblivious to the whole thing!

Boy-talk

So, does anyone else out there struggle with how much to intervene with your kids and their friends, or is it just me?

Yesterday, N was playing with his neighbor friends (they are all older than him by a minimum of 2 years). Sometimes this is great - like when they teach him how to play 4-square or convince him that it's time to ditch the training wheels!

But....sometimes, it's not so good....like yesterday....

I was pulling L down the street in the wagon and I notice foul language coming from the boys. N comes running over to me and tells me what they said. Now, I'm not ready for my sweet little kindergarten boy to start this kind of language (I know it will come soon enough unfortunately) So, I debate, do I say anything? Or do I just mind my own business and go on...

Well, you know me, I couldn't let it go, so I went over to the boys and told them I didn't want them talking like that around Nicholas. One of them tells me, "we were just talking boy-talk" I reminded him that N is much younger than they are. UGH - I'm so not ready for that!

So, I need some feedback, did I do the right thing? Or should I have just let "boys be boys"?