Brian is such a great kid and is getting so big! I can’t believe he is already 5 years old. He is still at the 25th percentile for his height and at the 5th percentile for his weight. He is 41 inches tall and almost weighs 33 pounds. He is growing like he should on his own curve. He went to the doctor and he got 4 shots in preparation for kindergarten. He was so nervous for those immunizations and he wanted me to reassure him about what was going to happen all day long. Just before the nurse came in to give him the shots, his whole body was shaking he was so scared. We had talked about being brave when it was time to get his shots, but he really surprised me with how brave he actually was. He just gripped my fingers and looked me in the face with a determined expression despite his little shaking body. Not a tear came out and he was so proud of himself for being brave during something really scary.
For Brian to be able to handle situations like this there has to be so much preparation. He needs to know exactly what is going to happen, when it will happen, the order things will happen, what it will be like, who is going to be a part of it, etc. etc. etc. If he knows and goes over and over and over the tiny details then he seems to be able to handle new or difficult things. If he is not prepared then he falls apart. He easily shuts down and his emotions run over. Loud noises are still a problem for him and can bring tears of terror to his face in an instant. He is very sensitive about the unknown. Some firemen visited his school a few weeks ago and talked to the kids about fire safety and what to do if there is ever a fire in the house. Brian was not ready for this one I think. He has been worried about it to the point of being unable to sleep and wants to be reassured he is safe consistently. This did not help the situation yesterday afternoon when we were riding bikes. A truck down the street knocked down some power lines which caught a tree on fire. We were watching from a safe distance as the firemen came. Brian freaked out. He just started wailing and crying and didn't stop until we were safe in our house and we had talked and talked and talked about the situation.
Despite his little quirks and sensitivities, Brian has so many amazing qualities about him. He is a fun, loving and inquisitive boy. He has sweetness about him and is very aware of the people around him and how they feel and what they need. He genuinely cares about everyone he knows. He speaks in clear full sentences and I love how quick he is to laugh.
Brian goes to preschool Monday through Thursday every week. He loves school and remembers what he learns. He is beginning to read when he has the motivation, and still loves for me to read to him. His favorite books are the non-fiction books we have about history, the world, space, or science. The books he currently chooses to read most often are Paul Revere’s Ride, a book about the Titanic, and his big book about science and nature. We have a little reading couch in his room now and he likes to spend lots of time snuggled under a blanket on that couch reading with me.
Brian likes creating things with paper, tape, popsicle sticks, scissors, string and any other craft item he can
get his hands on. He enjoys the “homework” he gets from school and any workbook activity if I am there working with him.
Most of all Brian loves playing with Timmy. Those two really just can’t live without each other. They find each other first thing in the morning and miss each other while Brian is at school. They are getting really good at playing together and they come up with some pretty interesting imaginative play. My favorite time of day is walking into Brian’s class to pick him up from school and Timmy always runs full speed to his brother and tackles him with a HUGE hug. They both end up laughing and sometimes even fall down to the ground in their excitement. Watching those two share time, fun, love, and a bond of brotherhood is one of the greatest blessings I have.
It has also been really fun for me to watch Brian progress in Primary. I am amazed at what he learns at church and how well he pays attention. He always has interesting questions for the teachers and Primary leaders and they love having him there. He tries his best to sing all the songs and when it comes to volunteering to sing for things, he is quick to volunteer. However, this does not mean he is quick to actually get up in front of people and sing. A few weeks ago, he happily volunteered to sing with some other kids in Sacrament Meeting and when it actually came time to get up and practice up there he melted into tears and could not make himself do it. The Primary Presidency spoke in Sacrament Meeting a few weeks ago and two different people included stories about Brian in their talks. One spoke of how he gave his Primary talk all by himself and how it brought such a strong Spirit into the room and the other leader told about when Brian asked a very profound question in Sharing Time. It was a profound question for anyone in Primary let alone for a Sunbeam. I have been surprised and pleased by his willingness to learn and understand Gospel Principles.
I love this little five year old boy more than I can describe. I am proud to be his mother and so blessed for the opportunity to teach him and learn from him. Happy Birthday my sweet Bri Bri!
