It's Kimballs turn

It has been so long since I have blogged!  I guess life is a little crazy busy right now.  I have started homeschooling Addie and that is my full time job so it seems all the non-essential stuff has been put on the back burner for now.  I had a minute tonight after the kids went to bed and decided that since blogging really is my only journal that I keep somewhat faithfully, that I needed to put that heigher on my priority list.  So here we go.
It's time for Kimball to have some time in the spotlight.  He just started kindergarten last month and was pretty excited to start...the first day.

After that though, it just went down hill.  He is my child that is so timid and tender hearted.  He is super shy with strangers and hates to get reprimanded in any way but especially if there are other people around (who does right?).  Well his teacher was Addie's K teacher and Addie loved her.  I knew she was strict but when I went to pick Kimball up the first day, as soon as I saw him, I could tell he was trying not to cry but was all tearry eyed.  I knew it was going to be hard.  The 2nd day of school was a nightmare trying to get him to go.  He was crying (which he is not a cryer) and yelling "NO! I don't want to go!!" I was having to physically drag him out to the car while he is trying to grab onto anything to stop me.  Now he wasn't throwing a fit, he was just truly terrified to go and it broke my heart.  I knew he had to go to school but I felt so horrible.  Once I dragged him into his school room, he would not let go of me and his teacher said I could stay.  I did and I understood a little more why he was scared.  She is a great teacher and the kids learn a lot but she is SO SO SO strict.  I think I would be afraid of her right now as an adult and to think how Kimball is feeling, not only is he away from home for the first time but he didn't feel safe and was terrified to do anything that would make her get him in trouble (whisper, look away, write on the wrong line, etc.)  I understand as a teacher she needed to set boundaries but wow, those were some pretty strict rules.  I stayed 1/2 the day and then came home and LUCKILY I got the call I had been waiting for.  Kimball had been on a wait list to get into the Zoo kindergarten. That's right, there is a Kindergarten class right there at the zoo, which is an AMAZING Zoo.  Anyway, he got into the class and I was so excited to tell him.  The next day was 100% better!  This is what he looked like when he came out that day

He came out and said "Mom, I didn't even miss you!" which was actually a wonderful thing to hear, considering the day before, he told me "mom, whenever I think of you when I'm in class, I just get tears in my eyes".  How could you not love the Kindergarten when you get to ride the Zoo train, and the carousel and go on walkabouts all the time to learn about different animals. Plus, his teacher is AWESOME!!! and so much more gentle with his tender heart. He LOVES school now.

Kimball also just turned 6 YEARS OLD!  Wow, that is crazy.  For his birthday, it was a family party this year and so we kept it really simple.  Of course he requested Curry with octopus for dinner and then we had cake and ice-cream with our "family" here (The Call family)

 

He finally got a new bike.  Boy, his old bike was not only tiny but falling apart.  He was really looking forward to getting this bike.  Ammon bought it a couple days before his birthday and when he went to get it out of his trunk for the party, the tire was flat :(  He had to run to the store and try to get another one but all turned out well. 

He also got a haircut for his birthday! Thank goodness.  We were growing it out for a while but he looks SOO much better with it cut and he loves that he doesn't get as hot.
What a handsome gentleman he is

Kimball is my complex little man.  He is such a sweetheart and first thing in the morning, he comes in and snuggles with me in bed.  This time is very important for him and me as well.  He does so much better after he has had this one-on-one time.  Sometimes at night he says "mom, will you come snuggle with me?" I know these times will be gone all too soon.  It is during those snuggle times that I really get to see inside his mind and try to figure him out more.  Last night some of the questions he asked me were "You know those black, green and yellow caterpillars?  What is the orange thing that comes out of their head?"  or "How many years does it take a person to die?"  Kimball is the exact opposite of Addie when it comes to talking.  I feel like I have to pull answers out of him if I want to know anything. That's why I just love these snuggle moments so I can understand him more.  He also goes through times that make me want to pull my hair out ;-)  If he gets hurt or frustrated he gets hard to reason with and just keeps saying "NO!"  I'm not saying this to complain about him but just to remember in years to come, what he was like at this age. 
He loves playing with race cars, train tracks, and leggo's.  He loves playing with friends but is really shy when it comes to meeting anyone new.  He has a very hard time talking to anyone out of his comfort zone.  If a stranger asks him a question, like "how are you doing?" He usually just looks away and pretends like he didn't hear them.  He loves food and I love it when he sits down to most dinners and says "OH, this is my FAVORITE!"  He has a huge sweet tooth and thinks he needs to have dessert every night.  He is a good reader and loves to dig in the dirt and build ditches and waterways. 
He really is my tender hearted kid and I love him so so much and everything that he adds to our family.  Boy I love this kid