The boy who made me a Mama is six years old. Headed off to Kindergarten. Crazy! I've been reflecting on how doing something for 6 years should gird you with a certain amount of confidence in what you're doing. Not in parenting. Not for me at least. This kid keeps me oh so very humble. I do have compassion for him as the first child. So many mistakes have been made already when it comes to how we parent, and we keep learning on Nolan, and then doing a potentially better job with Isaac.
Nolan still loves animals! He wanted a tiger cake for his birthday. He loves to read books and watch documentaries and shows about animals. He soaks up the animals facts like a sponge, and then he happily recalls them anytime, anywhere. He loves animals! As of right now, he says he wants to be a dolphin trainer one day.
Nolan finished Pre-K in May. He went to school 3 days a week, and he loved it. He loved doing worksheets and going to Spanish once a week. He was in class without his buddy this year, and I was shocked at how well he handled the uncertainty of not knowing anyone in his class. He of course made all sorts of friends throughout the year, and he always looked forward to his school days.
Nolan really is quite the athlete, and he's very interested in sports. He loves the Georgia Bulldogs and the Atlanta Falcons, but realistically, he'll happily watch just about any football game. He played basketball on a team for the first time. He really liked it, though it didn't come quite as naturally as soccer did. Once the season ended, he continued practicing his shot and still really, really enjoys playing Horse. He played soccer in the spring, and the most frequent comment made by onlookers, "He is so fast!" He really is so, so fast!
Nolan is also quite the puzzler! He enjoys doing puzzles and will happily work at one until he gets it. And then he doesn't mind doing the same puzzle over and over. It's a good inside activity for him, and I hope he continues to enjoy the challenge of putting together a puzzle.
Nolan really does enjoy the outdoors and enjoys adventure. He likes climbing trees and rocks. He loves to explore areas, and I love this about him. I want him to enjoy being in nature and be in awe of what God has made. I've said for a couple of years that it's easiest to enjoy Nolan when we're outside exploring and adventuring. He just turns into a happier kid.
Nolan really does enjoy pushing boundaries and arguing. Adam will often say, "I can't wait for you to pay for our vacations with your loads of money from being an attorney!" He can be so hard headed, but I have to hope and pray that we will one day see what a good thing it can be to stand firm in what is right. I'd love for him to have strong convictions about what is right and wrong and be willing to relentlessly stand by those beliefs. It takes a lot of patience (not my strength) to train him to state his opinion in a respectful way. We've got a lot of work to do, but I do want him to know that I think it's great that he knows what he thinks is right. We just need to work on the delivery of those opinions.
Nolan is a piece of work (aren't we all!), and I'm continually humbled by how much work I am still in need of. There's something about this kid that exposes the flesh in my own heart over and over and over. I do a lot of apologizing and asking for forgiveness when I just get it so wrong. I'm so thankful for this boy and can't wait to see him with his baby sister any day now. His smile still melts me, and I love watching him grow. I have less and less sadness about him getting bigger and older. I love seeing who he is becoming!
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