Life, According to Daniel, age 5

He keeps us smilin’.

There are 7 kids in my living room right now, watching Zootopia. And JD’s asleep upstairs, so only 3 of those kids are mine. (But man, did JD NEED a nap. He was crying over every little thing. Note to adults: when you’re crying over everything, and the sky is falling, go take a nap!)

They are watching Zootopia. It sounds hilarious.

It’s officially summer. Listen to the snack I gave them: a plate full of corn on the cob, buttered and salted. Those are some happy kids going to town on corn and watching Zootopia.

I’m feeling successful. We still haven’t decided where to live next, but hey! I washed my hair this morning. Sounds like success to me.

Daniel has developed a photography interest lately. He borrowed our camera and took some pictures…

Life according to a 5-year-old

I promise I had been cooking, not drinking. It’s hard not to blink at that flash.

JD, doing what he does best, taking off his shoes.

Do you see my sidekick?

Someone asked me, after my last post, “Don’t  you have to check on JD, not just Daniel?”

The answer is no. Rarely. JD is literally always 1 inch away from me. It seems like always. Occasionally, he does play in the sandbox.

Yes, sometimes I sit down and answer messages and try to read. It’s not successful, and sometimes people get aggravated with me for not answering my phone or messages in a timely manner. I have one go-to excuse…4 children. Seriously.

I didn’t get much reading done here. I ended up staying up until 2 or 3 am one night to finally finish this book. It was worth it.

Everyone says I raise my eyebrows too much. “Mom, please don’t do the eyebrows.”

Even Alan says, “I’ll tell you, but just, please promise me you won’t do the eyebrows.”

Maybe this one was taken by Caleb. I didn’t think Dan was this much taller than J.D.

Daniel is so excited about this move and about going to kindergarten. Every once in a while, though, he confesses, “I just don’t want my fwiends to move away and nevwer see my fwiends.”

Auck! It makes me so sad for him. I’ve grown hard to all the moving and leaving. In fact, I get so caught up in the details of the move that I totally forget to say good-bye to people. I forget to be sensitive to other people’s feelings too. I don’t mean to be cold or anything. I simply go through the motions of the move, never stopping to think about when will be the last time I see our friends.

But the boys are young. They feel these things. They don’t have Facebook to use to keep in touch either. It’s important to remember and be sensitive.

Thankfully, Daniel is super-duper excited about kindergarten and the prospect of having a great, big backyard at our new house. Sometimes he sees me looking at houses online, and he always asks two questions:

1. Is it close to my kindergarten?
2. Does it have a big backyard for my dog?

No, he doesn’t actually have a dog, but they all have great plans to get one at their new house. They’ve even named him. Steve.

I have made it known, repeatedly, that this dog, IF we get one, will not be mine. I don’t like dogs (I know. I’m a horrible person), but mostly I don’t plan on cleaning up its poop. I’ve been changing diapers for 10 years. A line must be drawn somewhere.

I know what you’re all thinking. You think we will get a dog, and I will end up taking care of it. I desperately hope you’re wrong.

Only 13 more days until John David and I fly South!!!  Eeeeeeeee!!!!! So excited!!