Oh to be Drew...

Drew has stated on multiple occasions lately how he'd like to be grown up... or a baby... or this or that. Each time after a brief discussion about his current state of desire, logic generally sinks in and he realizes that he's got it pretty darn good just where he is --right there in the middle of it all.

He's average height for his age but the kid is a BEANPOLE! I wish I that problem (well, to some degree). He is 47 inches tall and is 47 pounds. I wonder if that will ever happen again like that for his measurements. He has these beautiful grey eyes and dirty blonde hair. He tans well (I know he didn't get that from me) and is pigeon-toed.

At his 5 year check-up, his Pediatrician showed me his knees. If you held his thigh in place, you could physically wiggle his lower leg left to right. It was kind of creepy. He hadn't grown into his joints yet. Doc said that if the little guy ever complained about his legs hurting, they probably did and let him sit and rest. He's wanted to play soccer for a year or so but we just thought ... you only get one set of knees, let's take care of these that we've got as there's plenty of time to play soccer in a few years if he's still interested. So, instead of soccer, we opted for baseball. (It's more fun anyway!) He plays baseball for the Red Sox this year and is doing pretty good as a second baseman. His number is still 7 from when he played with the Yankees.

He is excited about school, loves his teacher and enjoys library time and Spanish. He comes home singing new songs he learns at chapel on a regular basis, too. His favorite "go to" song when he gets the need to break out in chorus? "Eye of the Tiger" Yep - Rock Band has warped the kid. It's that or "Hungry Like The Wolf" by Duran Duran. Thing is, on Rock Band, you don't have to sing the right words -- you just have to sing them in tune so the kid has his own set of lyrics for each song.

Drew still speaks with a bit of a lisp with his "s" sounds and his "th" but I am hoping that in the next few months we outgrow that or I'll put him back in speech therapy over the summer. He's getting better. We will see. We work on reading daily and he's on a 2nd grade level reading Magic School Bus books. He really likes to read and because of his phonics base reading introduction, he has done so well so far.

He loves to help and generally will do any task I assign him without eye rolling, heavy sighs or complaining. He has a very giving heart. I remember on one occasion when he was getting the "idea" of Christmas and how good it felt TO give... he got a gift bag and went around gathering up his favorite toys to give to his friends. When I explained that sometimes friendship is gift enough, that simply wasn't good enough for him -- he had to do more. I love his heart.

He likes things to be fair. For instance, I've drug out Josh's new clothes from the attic so we can retire his size mediums for a size large. Drew knows he's groing out of his 5's and he wants his 6's. I told him there's only so much laundry I'm prepared to do in a day and he's just going to have to wait. I'm still trying to get Josh's closet organized. Ugh!

This child is in LOVE with his baby brother. He wants so much for Ben to love him back. I'm so glad that Ben will have such a great, loving, doting brother to look after him. When I put Ben on the floor to do anything and Drew knows he's there, it's like a moth to a flame. The kid is right in there. Just today he was playing hide and seek with Ben. I tried to explain that Ben doesn't know anything of hide-and-seek yet but that didn't stop Drew. He'd hide and then make a noise so Ben would look that way and then he'd proclaim, "You found me! You're so good! You're a good seeker!"

Drew has a silly side, too, that only comes out when he's in one of his silly moods. Because when that child is tired, he'd give even a PMS'ing teenager a run for the title of "Drama Queen" -- that boy can turn on the drama and water works to the point I thought I had a daughter in the house!

His imagination is AMAZING! He is SO imaginative. He creates all these little battles with his Lego guys and army men. Or with the Star Wars battle scenes he draws. I'm in awe of this. I fully intend to save all of the Star Wars drawings he's covered his room with. Andy said he did the same when he was a child (as far as the battles), so that must make him feel pretty good. I can honestly say that I did not have battles with my Barbies when I was young. Just for the record.

And some of the things that come out of his mouth... they're just plain crazy! He really makes me laugh. For instance, tonight while I'm changing a diaper on Ben, Drew walks in and says, "I wish I could wear this to school."

I turn a quick head and notice what he's wearing -- a pajama shirt and red boxer briefs that are a very obvious size too big so much so that they're more like shorts.

I say, "What? Your underwear?"

The reply is a very enthusiastic yet matter-of-fact, "Yes!"

Oh to be inside that little brain for one day... on second thought, maybe I'll pass. It might be a little scary for an old momma.