I didn’t quite get this written on time but I am just going to go ahead and talk about what Sam is up to at age 6.5!

The end of 5 and the start of 6 were a little rough. It was disappointing because I felt like Sam had gotten to be easier and calmer at age 5 so I had high hopes that 6 would be even better. However I think the fact that his schedule and daily routine changed so dramatically  with the start of Kindergarten, took it’s toll on his mood. But six and a half has been great! He’s less moody and really fun to talk to. I feel like we can have little inside jokes and actual conversations. So much fun!

 

Weight and Height: I cannot seem to find the form that the doctor filled out at Sam’s 6 year appointment but I remember that he was 52″ tall and 52lbs, which is very tall and about average for weight.

Behavior: As I mentioned, 6 started out rough but 6.5 has been great. Most of the times he gets in trouble it is because he is overly excited and needs to calm down. He has been hitting SO much less and when he does hit Campbell it is usually on accident, due to him being a little too wild or rough. His behavior at school is seemingly perfect. He saves the good stuff for us!

School: Sam loves Kindergarten. It has been really fun, and a little bittersweet, to see him grow into an elementary school kid. He comes home with some of the same rhymes and jokes that I remember from when I was in school! Academically he seems to be performing very well. He is reading at around a 3rd grade level and seems to have a very strong understanding of math concepts. His fine motor skills have always been weak but they have REALLY improved this year. When he actually takes his time, his writing is totally legible. He loves Writers Workshop. For the first half of the year he would consistently say it was the best part of his day. Now he always says recess!

Sleep: We put both kids to bed at 7:30 and they usually fall asleep pretty quickly although we have nights when Sam comes out of his room over and over again to tell us some random fact, ask for water, go to the bathroom, etc. In the last month or so he started waking up earlier than usual–between 6:46 and 7:15. He has a watch so we made a new rule that he couldn’t come out of his room until 7:30 and that has been working well.

Food: Sam is still a pretty good eater but he has gotten a little “pickier” in his old age. He has developed some of the typical kid aversions to green vegetables although he likes salad, tomatoes, and peas. He has long had a dislike of cheese (particularly uncooked) but has been getting better and better about it. He even ate a cheese stick at lunch the other day! He has a smoothie every morning for breakfast. His favorite lunch is an egg salad sandwich, and his favorite dinner is macaroni and cheese (Grandma Katie’s recipe). He also loves Mexican food, which of course makes his parents very proud.

Sibling Relationships: This is one of the best things about Sam at 6.5–he and Campbell have never gotten a long better. Interestingly, around his 6th birthday their relationship was at an all time low. They fought all the time or Sam just ignored her. I honestly felt heartbroken and incredibly frustrated. Then, right at about the 6.5 mark, a flip switched. Nowadays they can’t wait to play together after school. When Sam has friends over he always includes Campbell. They are soooo silly together. It really warms my heart.

 

Tech: We have found it best to limit shows and video games with Sam. For awhile Sam wasn’t allowed any shows during the week at all but now that he is 6 he is allowed to watch one show every week day (on the weekends we usually let them watch a few). He is only allowed to play video games on the weekend and he doesn’t do it every weekend. (Campbell just gets the same rules because it is easier–she doesn’t get as wrapped up with shows and games but still seems like a good idea to limit.)

Sports: This year Sam has played two seasons of soccer and one season of t-ball. He does so much better with sports now than when he was younger. He really likes to play and tries his best! Big improvement over whining on the sidelines that he wants to go home (aka sports for years 2-5)

Chores: Sam now gets an allowance of $1 per week and in return he has to feed Henry weekday mornings, make his bed every weekday morning, clear his plate after every meal, and clean up his toys when asked. He generally does pretty well although complains occasionally about feeding Henry!
Sam, we love you so much! You bring so much joy to our lives and we are very proud of the boy you are growing up to be!