Other things

Declan lost one of his front teeth and, as Chris noted, has reached a whole new level of cuteness.

Declan has been thinking about what I should be when I grow up since I'm back in school. He knows what my career choice is (generally speaking), but he'll pipe up with things periodically that he thinks I should consider besides houses. His most frequent suggestions are: be a teacher so I can teach his class at his school next year or the year after or whenever I'm done, or maybe open a restaurant and be a cooker for the restaurant. I think, given the variety of options he could come up with, those are pretty complimentary.

Logan recently asked if his friend Caleah can spend the night. It sort of stopped me in my tracks, because that wasn't exactly what I was expecting him to ask. I fumbled a little trying to figure out how best to explain to him that boys and girls can't spend the night together without opening a whole new world of questions and curiosities that he hasn't thought about yet. Aside from their brief questioning about what their testicles are or why I don't have a penis, there hasn't been much discussion about relationships or babies or anything like that.

So I pretty much just said that it wasn't appropriate and it was fine if she came over to play, but she would have to sleep in her own home. Logan said he didn't understand why it was inappropriate just because she's a girl and he's a boy. I looked at him and said he'd just have to trust me on the matter and believe that he'll understand it better when he grows up. He said, "THAT'S why Caleah keeps saying she's a girl and can't spend the night. I didn't get it when she said it." Apparently this is something they've been discussing for a while.

Curious about how he was envisioning this sleepover going down, I asked him where he thought she would sleep. Logan said, "Well, I was thinking that she could sleep in my bed and I could sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor since she'd probably be more comfortable in my bed than on the floor." Cute, right?

So then Declan walks in the room in the middle of this (by the way, Declan also wants to marry Caleah, but since Logan saw her first he's deferring) and realized what we were talking about. He started talking about how he also wished Caleah could spend the night. I asked him where he thought Caleah would sleep and he said, "She can sleep in my bed and I'll sleep in Logan's and Logan can sleep on the floor." Typical.

School Pictures

Declan, 1st Grade - I think he was trying to go for the cool look like last year, but they made him smile so this is what the mashup of that was.

Logan, 2nd Grade - He really likes that shirt.

8 is Great!

Sweet baby Logan is now sweet 8-year-old Logan. He's kind of goofy and really smart and very compassionate and has a quirky, sarcastic sense of humor and I'm really happy to know him. He does well in school and seems to have friends a'plenty. He and Declan are still best friends and talk about growing up and living next door to each other or maybe across the street from each other. He'll pretty much try any food and like most of what he tries.

Logan reads. A lot. He will read anything - the other day at breakfast he picked up some papers I was studying for one of my classes and started reading through them. His teacher says he chooses all types of books at school and is happy with whatever he can find. He's set a bit of a benchmark in his class for reading and a lot of kids see him reading certain books and want to read them, too. He read through the first four and a half Harry Potter books and found a love for that world that made me happy to see.

He's got a renewed interest in sign language since there's a boy in his class he's gotten to be buddies with who has cochlear implants. Logan wants his friend to be included in things, so he does his best to sign what he knows and is constantly asking what other signs are.

So anyway, I kind of like the kid.