Snaggletooth Vanoy

 Once upon a time, I had this round little white-haired boy who sang "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" with the sweetest little high-pitched voice you ever heard. And then I woke up and walked into the kitchen to see a tall, skinny, bronze-skinned (but still white-haired), snaggletoothed 2nd grader making oatmeal for himself as well as for his younger sister and brother.

At home, he still scurries around the house in his underwear with his Christmas Blanket draped around him like a Roman Senator (or a Dementor, depending on his mood), and he still eats a lot of oatmeal, but every day I watch him grow up a little more into the figure that God created him to be. There are false starts, such as when he acts as though "growing up" entitles him to boss everyone around, or when he lapses back into toddler mode with an unpleasantly loud "WAH!" However, on the whole, I can't deny that's it's pretty awesome to have this incredible Big Kid in our house.

He started 2nd grade like an old pro, relishing (but not gloating over) his role in helping Sarah join the ranks of the school-aged kids. He still reassures her of the ways that he will help her at school or on homework (even when she doesn't particularly need any of his help). Throughout the spring and summer, he developed a really good friendship with one of his 1st grade classmates ("Big Andrew"), and although they were pretty disappointed to be in different classes this year, they have carefully reserved all their lunch and recess time for each other. Andrew's mom works at the school, and so she sometimes joins them for lunch and reports back to me that they spend the whole time planning how they will play at recess. She and I are both thrilled that the boys get along so well. It reminds me of the first time I made really good friends at school and how sweet it is to have a buddy or two around throughout those wild and free years of elementary school.

Outside of school, we are keeping Luke (and the rest of ourselves) busy with Cub Scouts and soccer. Luke has been out of soccer for a year now, but he was so excited about playing again that I signed him up - even knowing that it would make our Busy Fall even busier - and I don't regret that decision. Luke has grown up quite a bit since he last played he still enjoys the chance to laugh and have fun with other kids, but he is beginning to realize that there is more to the sport than just goofing off... He has a great coach and a committed team, and I am so proud to see him focus a little more on the skills and his role on the field. He still keeps an eagle-eye on the score and crows about it throughout the game (even though the league does not keep score, and Luke rarely has any role in improving their score). Perhaps a job as commentator is in his future...

We are still in early days of having joined the Scout troop, but P and I are both excited about the opportunity for Luke to learn some new things and have some new adventures. It has been an especially good opportunity for P to spend some quality time with Luke while I stay home with the little kids. And I must confess that I'm thrilled that P takes most of the responsibility for doing all the extra stuff you have to do when you are in scouts, from purchasing the uniform to working on badges together on the weekend. I begrudgingly (and most haphazardly) sewed patches on the uniform, and I'll probably hit some people up for popcorn, but that's enough for me for now, thankyouverymuch.

In his free time - of which there is a surprising amount, thanks to Covenant's new (fabulous) policy of not sending as much homework as in the past - Luke continues to devote himself to whatever his current obsession might be. Near the end of the summer, he was back into listening to countless hours of the Narnia radio dramas while working on Legos in his room. After school had started, I intervened on that one and confiscated the CDs in the hopes that he'd find something new to do. And he did. But I'm not sure that Pokemon graphic novels checked out from the library was a step up from the audiobook obsession.... And then after spending a few days at Gram's house one weekend while P and I were in Tyler, Luke came home begging (not for the first time) for me to pull out my old Calvin and Hobbes books (Mom has a large collection that he has been working through since before he could even read). This time I acquiesced, but I also brought out P's large stack of Garfield books, and it wasn't long before poor old Calvin and Hobbes were laid aside and all his attention given to that fat, lazy cat. And for the past several weeks, Luke has done little else besides sit and read comics, giggling maniacally at intervals and occasionally stopping to tell me all about this one really funny one. (It loses something in the translation, but I love seeing him so thrilled about telling me.)

Last year, Luke was given the Fruit of the Spirit award for self-control, which seemed a bit of a stretch at the time (perhaps it was "most improved"?). But now there is no doubt that "self-control" is one of the virtues that is growing in his life; and I should not be surprised - he and I prayed together many, many times for God to help him have more self-control! It's a little like watching a baby finally figure out how to control those legs of his: after years of impulsive reactions and verbal responses, Luke is learning to hold his tongue and his judgment. He is observing at least as much as speaking, and he is not only listening, but he is hearing. It is amazing to see, and I can't wait to watch him grow in this area and so many others over the coming years.

However, for now at least, I don't mind occasional glimpses of the young boy that he still is, whether it's in his thrill of playing with plastic animals and Duplos or his stillness as he listens to us sing bedtime songs. And you know I'll never be sorry to hold him tight in my lap, no matter how long and lanky he becomes.