Graham Jason

Oh, how I love my sweet boy, Graham.  This kid keeps me smiling (even if sometimes I have to hide it so he doesn't see).  There are so many things I want to remember about him at this age.  

• Favorite foods:  I just asked him and he said, "CHICKEN!"  We bought a rotisserie chicken at Sam's Club for dinner and he chowed down.  He just came to the computer and told me to make sure I say chicken WINGS.  He loves "pizza from the store".  He has to be specify because we make a lot of homemade pizza around here.  He loves brownies and our oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.  
• Favorite shows:  Sonic, Super Mario Bros. and Super Hero Squad.  I love Netflix!
• What he wants to be when he grows up:  Ninja (He has told me this many times the last few months.  
• Graham is still as emotional as he's always been.  It seems like I say something like that with every update.  He's all up or all down.  It's still pretty easy to pull him out of a "down", though.   

• Graham LOVES the park.  He asks every single day if we can go.  If it's not going to happen, he's VERY sad and frustrated.  It's the park that is in our little neighborhood.  The reason he loves it so much is because it means he gets to play with his best friend, Junior.  We have Junior over to our house and Graham plays at his house, too, but he likes it best when they get to start their time together with an hour or two at the park.  They usually play Sonic or Ninjas.  They love to race around the circle on their bikes. 

Junior and Graham

• Every Thursday in his kindergarten class, they have what they call "centers".  His teacher, Mrs. Estrada, loves it when parents come to help and I try to go when I can.  My favorite thing about volunteering in Graham's class is that one or two times during centers, he'll call out to me and when he gets my attention, he'll smile and say, "I love you."  It's the sweetest thing and I love that he does it out loud in front of his class.  I can tell he's happy I'm there and that makes me happy.  I know that won't last forever.   
• In January Graham started wrestling.  He's not a fan.  He claims, "It hurts" and never wants to go.  Jason has been helping coach a little bit.  So, now we have the dilemma of deciding if we let him stop going or keep at it.  Wrestling is tough, because at his age there's not really a seasonthat ends anytime soon.  We'll see.  
• Graham continues to be quite the showman when he gets a crowd laughing.  We were eating dinner at a friend's house one evening and all the kids in the other room were laughing.  We asked them about it later and it turns out that Graham was showing off his skills by burping "I love you" over and over again.  That's my boy!
• Graham is very social and out going.  With that, he's also pretty blunt and tell things like it is.  He has no problem letting anyone know if they are bothering him or if he disagrees with something that was said or went down.  We struggle with knowing how to ride the line between respecting adults and sticking up for yourself.  This little man is teaching me to not worry so much about what others think and not to take his misbehavior or acting out moments personally.  
• Graham gave a talk in primary a couple weeks ago.  He told me he wanted to do the "testimony part" at the end by himself.  I backed away from him and he said the sweetest words.  I told him later that day how proud I was of him and he said, "Well, I just really think those words I said."  
• One of his favorite things to do right now is ride his bike to school.  I follow him in the van.  I LOVE seeing him look back at me and speed up to show me how quick he is.  When I go to the "pick-up" spot after school, he always has his helmet on and he rides up next to the car and always asks, "Can we go to the park?"  
• Something I hear at least 5 times a day, "YOU'RE SO MEAN!"  
• We're going through a fibbing phase right now.  It feels like I'm constantly getting on this kid and I have to make a real effort to back off and choose my battles.  The great part is that he's a terrible fibber and he puts on a little annoyed face when I catch him in it, but he also seems a bit relieved.  It's never about anything big......usually just whether or not he washed his hands after going to the bathroom or if he actually really did brush his teeth.  
• I love listening to him sound words out and read signs as we are driving in the car.  It makes my heart happy.  
• This boy thrives when we make special effort to give him one-on-one time.  I know that would be true with all kids, but it seems to especially help my sweet boy.  Whenever we are having a rough few days (lots of arguing), if Jason and I will just set aside a little outing with just him and carve out a few more minutes at bedtime for just him....it turns him around.  I love our time together, too.  A sweeter side of both of us comes out.  I hope that it's during those times that he realizes I'm not just around to nag him and correct his every move, but that I truly enjoy his company and think he's a great kid.  

Graham-bo keeps me questioning my parenting skills and I find myself looking for moments to fine-tune my Love and Logic arsenal, but I am up for the challenge.  I have a special soft spot in my heart for my "not-so-little-anymore" Graham.  He's so sweet, so fun and I feel so blessed to be his mom.