I have fallen down on my baby blog entries! I'm sorry Succotash. I fear I've spent more time parenting than chronicling. Right now you are at reading playgroup, as we figured out that Montessori method is not really connecting the dots for you. I am at a cloyingly feminine tea room, and I will pick you up in fifteen minutes.
News: you got into Gilman!!!! My huge project of the fall was a success! You also got into McDonogh and Boys Latin, and were invited to reapply to Park. I am so proud of you I could just about explode. We have plastered Gilman stickers all over the huge battery powered moon rover that your favorite uncle brought to Christmas, and which you enjoy driving to the fort and around the neighborhood. Your dad worries about the battery range, but I've been very impressed with your ability to navigate narrow passages on sidewalks, and even pull off a three point turn (albeit with some direction). I might even get your dad to agree to put one on the Red Menace. You are excited for your new big kid school, and though you had initially wanted to attend "Daddy's school," you came around when Daddy confessed to you that he had actually always wanted to go to Gilman. It's up the street from our new house, and they love exuberant boys there, just like you. Also, they're not fools - they bring in 30% of the class at Kindergarten, and they probably took one look at your tall and muscly self and someone thought "wide receiver." We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. The football bridge. God help us.
More news: You can write your first and last name! We practiced a lot making valentines for your class (you still call them "valentimes"), and then one night you started writing them both in the fog on the shower door.
Obsessions: yesterday you dug a blue fishnet out of the garden shed that you found abandoned on the beach last summer, greeted it like a long lost relative (there were kisses), brought it indoors and even took it into the shower with you. When I asked you what you loved most about the fishnet, you said that it could be anything as long as you used your imagination. Fishnet, jousting lance, sword, walking stick... the possibilities are endless.
Other obsessions: Vikings. Lots of reading about Vikings, dressing up in a Viking cloak, Viking helmet, Viking shield, Viking axe (many of these Christmas presents from your indulgent aunt). I met a woman on a work trip to New York last week who, upon learning of your obsession, insisted on meeting me the following day with a miniature Viking someone had given her. You have named him Tiny Man (your dad pronounced it "Tinniman"), and he is presently attending reading class with you, with I hope not too disruptive results.
You are excited for your own room in the new house, but still really prefer sleeping with us in the "big bed" to sleeping in "Charles bed" on the floor. You love snuggles, and drink them up to fall asleep and also adjust to being awake in the morning. I know I have to support your independence, but I just love snuggling you so much, it's hard to hold the line. Your dad is out of town this week, and I've been feeling hugely stressed due to a combination of my doctoral defense coming up next week, and other grownup things that are at times necessary but hard, so the temptation will be to put up only token resistance and fall asleep wrapped up in your gently sleeping arms.
You still love Manatee and Baby Faff and the Paddington that we bought in Paddington Station on our trip to the UK last summer.
You like to explain things by saying "So you see...." which your Montessori teacher thinks is hilarious.
Your best friends at school are still Penny (your fiancee), Dylan, the Boy Charlie, and Lily, but you also are partial to Holden and Alistair, who are younger. You're still friends with Paul from school last year, and with James up the street who also loves the olden times and dressing up.
Overall, you are a fascinating growing person. I could not imagine loving any human being more than I love you.