Five years? Really? Joshua has finished up his year of Pre-K at Berry’s Chapel. We went to Liberty Elementary and registered him for Kindergarten. Milestone after milestone, it still doesn’t seem like we should be here so soon. Five. A whole hand. What happened to this little guy?
Seems like just yesterday we were wondering how a whole year could have passed.
Then two.
Little by little, the baby disappeared, and there he was – a little boy! Less squishy, and harder to hold onto for any length of time. Loves his dirt and trucks.
Year 5 brought lots of changes from year four.
At his 3 year appointment, we were told Joshua was extremely farsighted in both eyes. They didn’t want to give him glasses yet, but wanted us to check back in a year. We did, and it was time for the glasses! The doctor warned us that he might need lots of encouragement to wear them, but once he had them, he never wanted to take them off! I felt so guilty wondering how much of the world he wasn’t seeing that he would take to the new glasses so easily.
The question of whether or not to send Joshua to preschool followed us all last summer. Lots of factors went into our decision. We knew he would enjoy it. I had noticed that everywhere we went, Joshua would make a “friend” and talk about having his new friend over to play. I felt that he wanted a regular social setting with little people his age. I knew the structure of preschool would be good for him. By the time we finally decided to look for a place, it was August. We were so blessed to find Berry’s Chapel, which came highly recommended from church friends, and they had one open spot in the pre-K class. It was so good to see Joshua around other little boys his age. He LOVED it. His last day is next week, and I think I might be “that mom” and cry.
We still struggle everyday with who’s in charge – a seemingly endless battle of wills. There are days I wish he would just take my word for it when I tell him something. I wish sometimes that when I said “jump” he would ask “how high.” Of course, that’s not how it works. I want him to grow up to be strong and confident, and know what he wants. I just wish he’d practice less on me. I hope there’s a break in here somewhere before he hits those teenage years.
He still loves his trucks and trains, but Joshua’s latest obsession is pirates, and he loves all things Peter Pan. He is the epitome of the little boy who doesn’t want to grow up. In fact, he tells us that from time to time. Well, he doesn’t use the word “epitome,” but you understand. We’re looking forward to what I selfishly hope is a long summer. There will probably be days I want the school year to hurry up and get here, but for today, I don’t really want him to grow up either. There’s something about going to kindergarten that seems too much like throwing him to the wolves. I’m sure that’s just the first-time kindergarten mom in me talking.
So, here’s to Joshua and me surviving 5 years of each other. Joshua, thanks for loving me while I learned how to be a mom, and for loving me while I’m learning still. We’ll make it. With a lot of prayer and determination, we’ll make it and be great. Arrrrrrh!
We did drag him away to blow out the candles on his cake.
