Linus turns SIX!

Hey all!
I was just about to write something about how I am going to attempt to be a better blogger this year when it occurred to me that the year is already half over. 2014 IS HALF GONE. WHOOSH! That was a little intense to think about, but I feel like I'm finally alive now that I'm not pregnant anymore, so somehow I suppose that validates me not doing anything for pretty much the past year...

Last month Linus turned the big 6! Sometimes I forget that he's only 6 though because...well, I won't say he acts more mature than a 6 year old yet, but he's a smart kid and he blows me away with the things that come out of his mouth sometimes.

 

He is always aware of everyone and everything basically in this house. And he's totally on top of it when someone breaks the rules. Craig and I call him our little mother hen, always making sure everyone is doing what they're supposed to and that things are going the way they're supposed to. I'm happy to say that he has for the most part broken out of a lot of his more violent and hard to deal with tantrums. He's still Linus, he still has a square box that the world is supposed to fit in, he still falls apart sometimes, but mostly we meet those moments with him storming out of the room on his own- nothing breaks or gets trashed as he stomps to his room (major improvement), door only sometimes gets slammed (also major improvement), he flies face down onto his bed and a minute later comes out feeling better. No follow up discipline required unless 6 year old expletives shoot out of his mouth, as they do on occasion (you know...the "S" word....*stupid*....or an "I never want to play with you again!!!" or two...), he comes back out after he's chilled a minute just fine. I didn't think that day would come, I was worried I'd be hauling him kicking and screaming to his bed forever.

 

We just got back from a two and a half week vacation to Colorado. I am very impressed to note that this is also one of his first vacations where despite the fact that he was up late most nights laughing and talking with cousins on Grandma's basement floor the whole time, we only had a few meltdowns, and none that included him injuring property or people. Hooray!! I know that paints an ugly picture of life with Linus, but it really wasn't all bad, we are just thrilled that he's made such progress and love seeing the wonderful things that have replaced his frustration.
Like all the endless questions and stories...all the time...

 

Funny story about Linus on the drive to CO. Grandma got him a watch for his birthday. The week previous he had gotten on "pink" two days in a row in K class and was able to pick out a toy from a toy box. He picked out a really cheap watch that did not work. In fact, it didn't even have the right shaped teeny weeny nails to be able to stick anything into it to open it to replace batteries. Linus was obsessed with trying to find a way to make it work, we finally had to take it away after he kept sneaking sharp objects out of my drawers so he could try and jam them in there to unscrew the back and open it. It was suggested to Grandma to get him a watch to replace the cheap one. He loved it. The first 30 minutes of our road trip was a minute by minute update of the time. We had also given the kids dramamine before we left as they will randomly get car sick on some trips and I thought we could just save ourselves the hassle of buckets or pulling over. After the first 30 minute by minute updates, it was clear the dramamine was kicking in because every little thing was triggering some kind of crying fit in someone in the car (crankiness and exhaustion were setting in). At one point Linus grabbed his ears and couldn't take it anymore and yelled, "EVERYONE IS CRYING SO LOUD IT HURTS MY EARS!!!", which made Odell cry even louder and Chloe get even more upset. It was a good time. We had told Linus that at 1:30 he could watch a movie in the car, and to keep an eye on his watch for when it said 1:30- but we silently congratulated ourselves as we watched each of the kids drone out of their irritation and start to drift off to sleep. I jokingly looked back at Linus, who was using his seat belt as a head support, snoring softly, and laughed to Craig, "Watch, right at 1:30 he is going to snap awake and ask to watch a movie". We chuckled and turned up our music a little louder.
Guess what happened at 1:30?
Bleary eyed and in a panic, he jolts up and blurts out "DADIT'S1:30CANIWATCHAMOVIENOW???"
 He couldn't understand why Craig and I were laughing so hard.
We love our Linus dearly. Happy Birthday little man, we're glad you are here.