Tons and Bunches: Kip || 6 1/2 Years Old

Tomorrow Kip turns 6 1/2!!! I cannot believe he is nearing seven years old. It feels impossible.

Kipling 6 1/2 Years

Personality: Smart and imaginative

Kip has really matured a lot over the last year and especially in the last six months as a First Grader. He has gained many new interests, let go of others (so long trains...), and surprised all of us with his book smarts and academic gifts.

Milestones of Age 6 1/2

Upgraded to a booster car seat

Entered First Grade

Reading independently up to chapter books

Started Ninja Gym

Attempted but failed to sleep in his bed without a railing

School

Kip is doing absolutely outstanding in school right now. Dan and I went to parent-teacher conferences earlier this week and his teacher told us Kip is "exceeding expectations" in all areas and testing in math and reading a full grade level ahead. His favorite subject is math and his least favorite it writing. He seems a little bored by most of the schoolwork but I suspect that is because it isn't challenging him or peeking his interests much. His favorite special is art and his least favorite is gym which is the same thing he said last year.

Unfortunately Kip's classroom environment is quite stressful this year with many kids with behavioral issues. As a result, there isn't a lot of special activities or much fun of any kind for him and his classmates because one kid tends to ruin it for everyone. It's a bummer for sure and I'm sad for him, but I think it is a good life lesson about how our individual choices impact others and the benefits of kind and respectful behavior.

I wish I had classroom photos to share but alas there is none of that this year either.

Social

Kip is our extrovert. He loves socializing and seems to be friends with everyone or make friends with anyone. At recess he tends to play with his pal from his old Pre-K class and they make-up a variety of games resembling tag but with different themes like Dragons and Unicorns or Princesses and Dinosaurs. Lots of other kids join from time to time so he knows a lot of people (just don't ask him to remember their names). He is steering away from the stereotypical sporty boy identity and opts not to play the organized sports games like football at recess. Kip is a run around the playground and use his imagination type kid. He also declined to participate in the basketball program at school this year and we had to convince him to keep trying with soccer in the spring.

Kip is also a great friend for Ivy and they are really hitting it off right now. They are the perfect age for playmates and Ivy is able to keep up with him for the most part. While they do have bickering moments, they genuinely care for each other and I'm super grateful they have each other.

Interests

Kip tends to dive head first into something and get super obsessed for several weeks and then dropping it all of the sudden. He was into space. Then robots for awhile. Then it was R2D2. Now it's dragons. He's currently really into playing with dragons, making games about dragons, and reading Dragon Master's books. He's been drawing dragons and requests any kind of dragon toy he sees. Occasionally he dips his toes back into the world of trains but for the most part, that era has ended. Now we're into a fantasy world of flying beasts (and unicorns if you add Ivy's obsession to the mix).

He is also very interested in creative projects. He loves to build and craft and do experiments. A lot of the time we have to stop him or help redirect when his ideas that are out of the scope of reality...like building a real ride-on train out of cardboard propelled by scooters.

At the moment, the real hit is a game called "take care." A couple of weeks ago Kip got another build a bear and he and Ivy have been using all their build-a-bear stuff to play what is essentially house or dolls. They dress their stuffies, feed them, take them to school or day care and put them to bed. It's cute.

Things I want to remember about Kip at age 6 1/2:

First time on a water slide

MagiQuest

First time fishing/catching a fish

Looking at Can you See What I See look and find books with mom at bedtime

HKRS running series

Swimming lessons with Ivy

Hero of the Week

Dragon obsession

Reading Dragon Masters books

Staying up late for special time with mom

Sea Dragon "pets"

Black Bolt and "take care" game

Odd Squad PBS show

Adventures in picking out his own outfits

Blue is still his most favorite color

There is just something about your first born. The growing up is so special and bittersweet. Kip is really starting to be a big kid in my eyes. I cannot carry him much anymore and his independence is stretching out farther than it ever has before. I makes me think about this post I wrote so many moons ago, every bit of it still so achingly true.