Break Dancing...

I insisted Mom sign me up for break dancing lessons. It's a four week session that takes place after school in the gym. I've been having a wonderful time.

Here are photos of me showing off my moves - robot, noodle, sit/spin, arm roll...

From Christmas 2013...

Great year - kind of busy having another baby sister and all but I adore her and it was all great. I was especially proud of my gift I gave Mom and Dad. Something I've been working on at school for the past several months. I call it my magnum opus. It's a calender and each month there is art work that I've done representing that month utilizing my hand prints. I even made the wrapping paper for it. I also made a clay bell for them and an glittery angel made from a plate.

I was also excited that Santa stopped at our house. I received exactly what I asked for and even a few bonuses including some minions from Despicable Me 2. (I love that movie.)

Some of my favorite gifts - night time Yoda and Legos from Aunt Shelley, new sport suit from Auntie, play blanket from Nan, shirt from Grandma and Grandpa, and game from Dad. Mom also gave Sister and me some mind puzzle games which have also been fun.

It was a great year. I was healthy and had been especially good this past year.

Santa Visit 2013

I have been really excited to speak with Santa about my requests for this year. I've been especially good and know it. I also know being greedy gets one nothing on Christmas so I chose very carefully what I asked for. 

If you recall from my Halloween costume, I really enjoy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I have a small catalog that came with a toy. There are lots of cool items in it. Among them is a giant sewer set. At first I really wanted that but it was so large it would take up most of my bedroom and after some conversing with Mom and reading some reviews about it, I changed my mind. 

Instead, there is a mini-sewer set for "on-the-go" play. It stores to look like a pizza box (the Turtles favorite food). This was such a funny and cleaver idea I decided this was better. Add to that a couple of minifigures to go with it and that was my list to Santa. The coolest part is he totally knew what I was asking for - he really knows his toys!

Mom waited a significant amount of time for us to see Santa. Dad took us to a nearby jungle gym so we could play for a couple of hours while she and Baby Sis waited. It was worth it - best Santa visit and best Santa photos yet.

Six...

Well, I'm six years old now. Mom and Dad say they can hardly believe how quickly time has flown by. Actually, I've been keeping this blog since I was about 9-10 months old so even my blog is getting older, too.

I had many birthday celebrations - my friend party, my extended family party, a small celebration at school, a celebration on Thanksgiving with my family, and a little dinner with just the five of us at home on my actual birthday. It's kind of odd to not have a celebration planned for me this week! (That's okay because we celebrated Dad's birthday this week and next week we celebrate Mom's. Lots of birthdays this time of year.)

List of some of my favorites:

- Favorite superhero: Captain America (I also like the old school Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, especially Leonardo)
- Favorite food: pizza and stone soup
- Favorite dessert: unfrosted sugar cookies (this is what we had at all my gatherings)
- Favorite color: green
- Favorite number: 3
- Favorite book: Darth Vader and Son
- Favorite activity: playing (mostly Legos) and drawing; especially pretend play
- Favorite show: Johnny Quest, Ninja Turtles (from the 1980s)
- Favorite Movies: Cloud with a Chance of Meatballs,  Hotel Transylvania

 A few other things:
- I love school. I don't have homework. My teacher asked Mom and Dad to stop working with me so she would have some things to "teach" me. Still, I make up homework assignments to do at home. I LOVE school and LOVE my teacher and all her assistants. Recess is my favorite but I also like music class and computer time. I have not yet missed a day of school.
- I started a "fighting off crime team" at school. I am their leader. Mostly, made up of the few boys in my class. We chase "villains" during recess.
- I have a girlfriend. Her name is Bella. We play together during recess or before school and sit together during recess. I like her short yellow hair and that she's very nice to me.
- I very much enjoy my two days at JFK (after school program). It is somewhat of an extension of kindergarten with learning stations, activities, and recess. If Mom picks me up early I get grumpy with her and tell her to come back later. I don't like to miss my activities.
 - I learned to swim this past summer. I went from not being able to swim at all to independence and full reign in any pool at the YMCA.
- I still wear glasses. Next year I may need eye surgery. We'll find out in January. My dominant eye is patched for 30-60 minutes per day.
- Next year may also bring umbilical hernia surgery as it has not shrunk in size. We find out in a month if I need it corrected.
- My asthma is significantly improved. Mostly just with colds now. Eczema is completely resolved.
- I am still allergic to peanuts. 
- For some reason I'm really into cyclops monsters right now.
- I am not very opinionated about what I wear but I am going through a sweater phase and want to stay warm.
- I still have all my baby teeth and have never had a cavity.
- I still take naps about 60-75% of the time. (I like that when I do nap I get to stay up and watch an old Star Trek with Dad)
- When I grow up I want to be either an inventor superhero or a veterinarian farmer.

This past week I had my 6 year wellness visit. Here are my stats from that visit:

Weight: 42.65 lbs (35%)

Height: 44 inches (25%)

Blood pressure: 100/62 (normal)

The height is somewhat skewed as I have been on inhaled steroids for a significant part of my life so my growth velocity is slower. I'll catch up later in life but should achieve my anticipated height. Overall, I've been healthy this year but next year may bring a couple of possible surgeries which none of us are excited about. Maybe we'll avoid it, though.

For now, I'm a happy kid and just have great zest for life.

From Mom and Dad:

To our little guy - we love you so very much. You are our old soul and touchstone. We are so grateful you came along and made us parents. You make us smile every day and give the best snuggles ever. We are so proud of you and the person you are growing into. Thank you for being you.

Stone Soup - Thanksgiving Feast

Last week we celebrated Thanksgiving in my kindergarten class with a pot of stone soup. Mrs. T had each of us bring a vegetable to contribute. She washed them and we used some carving utensils to cut the vegetables. She cooked them and the next day we invited our parents to feast with us.

Oh, we also spent the past two weeks learning about Thanksgiving and preparing for our feast by creating napkin holders, place mats, and a costume. I chose to be an Indian (as did my girlfriend B). My costume included a vest and headpiece - both of which I made. 

When asked what I was thankful for I told the class, "I am thankful for my little monkey Bongo". It's my stuffed monkey that I love to sleep with.

I was so glad Mom, Dad, and Baby Sister were able to attend the feast. 

Oh, I brought an onion to add to the soup - I actually really love cooked onions. And we usually have stone soup at home about once a week so I am a stone soup making expert. Mrs. T was happy for my input in the matter.

Veterans Day

On Veterans Day my Grandpa N went to my kindergarten class, at Mrs. T's invitation, to talk with us about his service in the US Army during World War II. He brought in his dog tags which the kids thought were pretty cool. Each of the kids in my class presented him with a metal to say thank you. Each metal was designed by that individual child. He loved them. It was wonderful to have him there and is an honor to be his grandson. 

We are so proud of your, Grandpa. Thank you for your service.

Birthday Celebration - Kids' Party

Mom and Dad knew we would have a new baby by the time my party rolled around. Thus, they talked with me about picking a place outside our home to host the party. I opted for Planet Kid. The nice part was they did a parent hosted party so we could bring in our own food. I am a bit picky when it comes to my pizza so I was glad we did not have to have their pizza. Dad went over to Costco and picked up three giant pizzas, Mom brought some applesauce, and she also made sugar cookies (remember, I don't like cake). 

It was quite the event - every person but one of those invited showed up. There were about 17 kids there ages 1-6. We ran around for over an hour, stopped for pizza and cookies, then ran around some more. Mom and Dad visited with the parents, some of which they had never met since some of the kids I invited are friends of mine from school. Then when it was all over, we loaded into our van and headed home for a long bath and nap. Oh, and we woke to about 1-2 inches of snow that morning. What a day.

Here are some photos from the event.