Six Years

Dear Seth,

Six wasn't too hard for me. You've sprouted like a foot and added 5 lbs this year--you are most definitely in solid boy territory now. And I love it.

You're pretty much independent now, but you still want me to read to you and play with you. I can sense how fleeting those requests are going to be in the next few years. And I've already begun to notice that you're caring more and more about what your peers think. Not at all unexpected, but still a little hard for me to accept. Letting go is harder than I thought it would be.

You're reading like a champ. Sometimes at night we have you read scripture stories to Catherine. You'll stumble over a word or two (usually a name), but that's it. You love reading comic books, especially Garfield.

We've discovered that the best way to get you to help around the house is to give you an immediate monetary incentive. So instead of assigning you to sort the laundry and then paying you at the end of the week, we just say "Do want to sort the laundry for $.75?" It all boils down to the same amount anyway, but that immediate reminder of payment has cut down on whining by 80% or more.

You are such a great help with Aaron. I don't know how many times I've been trying to make dinner and keep Aaron happy (never works), only to have you come over and play some silly game that makes him giggle. He adores you and I don't know what I'd do without you.

You are also Catherine's best friend. Yes, you both enjoy pestering each other, but you also get bored and lonely when the other is gone.

I love the stage you're at right now. You want to help, to make me happy. You also want to learn and explore. And you just get more and more fun and interesting to talk to. Watching you grow up is awesome. I love you, my Seth Man.