Homework

Every Tuesday Tyler brings home homework which is due on Thursday. Superstar that he is, he does it immediately when he gets home on Tuesdays. It's usually a coloring and reading project, and we all know how much he loves to color. This morning as I was getting Gavin's face washed and hair brushed for school, I reminded Tyler to get his homework off the counter and put it in his backpack. He loves any task related to homework so he rushed down the hall to get it. Minutes later, he returns saying "There was a fly on my homework." I was busy getting Gavin ready and only sort of paying attention, so when I asked if he shooed the fly away, my auto pilot was expecting an affirmative answer. But when he said no, I was perplexed, but busy. A couple minutes later I asked what happened to the fly. Tyler said "Oh, I smashed it," and held open his hand for Gavin & me to see this dead fly he had been holding for probably five minutes or longer.

Southpaw

It's baseball season. This year we're playing in a coach-pitch league instead of T-ball. It's really challenging, which I think is good since it keeps Tyler awake. He has really improved a lot since they started practice just three weeks ago. He can throw about twice as far now, and he is learning the importance of running fast. He got a new mitt which he's very proud of, but it didn't improve his catching like I thought it would. We definitely don't practice the way other kids and parents do. The three times a week with the team are just about all we've got in us. But there's another kid on his team who has the same mitt, only for a right handed player. At the last practice, Tyler took Zane's mitt out to the field while Zane was hitting and practiced an entire inning at first base using a right handed player's mitt, throwing with his right hand. Then yesterday at the Opening Day ceremony, Tyler took a try at the pitching game and threw the baseball at a target using his right hand. He missed horribly but I had to laugh at how it never even occurred to him that it felt odd. So now I'm back to reminding him which hand to use for writing, throwing, hitting, etc. and realizing he is pretty darn ambidextrous.

An Artist in the Making

Tyler amazes me daily with his artistic ability. He wakes up every morning and asks "Can I draw" before he even eats breakfast. The other day we were watching Finding Nemo and he jumped up, drew a bunch of stuff, got the scissors and cut a bunch of stuff out. At the end of his hour long project, he had drawn a perfect Mr. Ray (Nemo's stingray teacher), Nemo, Squirt the Turtle and a bunch of other characters which he "swam" through the house. Yesterday it was Mr. Incredible, Syndrome and the bad guy robot. Then it was Star Wars, Darth Vader and the Falcon Millenium. The day before he drew Disneyland, featuring Mickey, Goofy and Donald watching a fireworks show. And you know what? I may be biased but I think these pictures he is drawing look really darn good.

Clean Bill of Health

As part of the birthday ritual, Tyler went to the dentist and doctor this past week. At the dentist, he had his first full set of x-rays taken. He did great, held perfectly still and didn't complain at all (even I complain about those side biting x-rays). The dentist showed me his x-rays and discussed his adult teeth. Oh my gosh for the teeny tiny little baby teeth he's got now, that kid has some big giants ready to come in! And, brace yourself, his bottom two teeth are loose! I was floored when the dentist said so but I checked them myself and sure enough, they wiggle. The dentist gave me a brochure about the "Eruption" and "Shed" stages in humans, and Tyler is on the early end. He had his eight front teeth by four months of age, but the brochure says 6-10 months of age. So it makes sense that he will shed his teeth earlier than the stated age of 6-7 years old. Amazing! But he has two cavities so now we're flossing twice a day.

At the doctor, Tyler had his sight and hearing tested. Passed with flying colors. He's in the 96th percentile in weight (53 pounds) and 92nd percentile in height (45.4 inches). Big boy! He starts baseball practice this week and is so excited because this year, he promises he won't lay down on the grass in the middle of a game. We shall see!