Happy 6 years, Josiah!

Six years, and my boy sure is looking big. This has been such a year of growth for Josiah. He has excelled in his school work and continues to love his sisters with care and affection. Josiah is persistent when he sets his mind to a task- one of my favorite qualities about him! He is also deeply curious. We love our dear boy and I think the year ahead will be the best yet!

Weight: 54 lbs 6 oz (87%)
Height: 49.75 in (98%)
Clothing: 6/7T, shoe size 1

Likes: art projects, tape, repurposing items, helping in the kitchen, imaginative play with Sarah and Lydia, learning new skills (like piano with dad), creating

Dislikes: working hard when he wants to be playing, injustice (to himself or others)

A day in the life:

7:00am: Josiah comes out of his room, usually asking us to get Anna out of her crib (which is under his loft bed)
           
Breakfast- Usually milk, banana, and cheerios, but he loves eggs and toast.

Morning: Morning chores to get ready for the day, then school time. Josiah's individual school work takes 1-1.5 hours and we spend about 1 hour doing read alouds and memory work all together.

Lunch: Josiah's pick would be a turkey sandwich with cheese and lettuce or perhaps a peanut butter and honey sandwich. He loves green peppers and has apples and oranges for snacks throughout the day.

1:00pm: Nap time in the guest room! He reads until 2:00 and then plays, usually doing a "project," until 3:00.

Afternoon: Our boy loves to be outside. He rides his bike, hits a baseball, or pretends to set up for camping with umbrellas and picnic blankets.

Dinner: He is a good eater and a good spirit about trying new food. This year the kids took on more responsibility with clean up and he has gotten quite good at wiping the table and sweeping.

Bedtime: After getting ready for bed, reminding him to use the restroom again, we give hugs and send him up his ladder. Then we pray for Josiah and Anna and sing Goodnight Anna and Josiah. It is a delightful mouthful!

Fun facts:
* Josiah still wants to be a painter, of both the inside and outside of houses.
* He has a whole bank of hymns in his sweet head.
* We started the reading curriculum we used last year with Sarah at the start of Josiah's year and he is doing great! I'm so proud of how he has developed over the school year. His favorite subject is handwriting. His favorite read aloud was Charlotte's Web. (<- I'm pretty sure we read this last year, but it was his definitive answer.)
* Josiah cut his hair a couple of months ago . . . I suppose they don't grow out of that as soon as I hoped.
* His best friends are Colton (from church), Raelynn (from school), and Ensley (from down the street). Thank God for the community He has given us!

A chronological look at the past year:

A special quilt by Gigi for his 5th birthday.

At the Evansville zoo

This was Josiah's first year to do swim lessons.

I love this. He was nervous about lessons. 

He and Anna share a room as well as a row in the van.
Josiah takes sweet care of her.

Games, construction, Starbucks.
A nearly perfect summer morning for everyone.

Reading for Dad at the beginning of school.

Nobody puts baby in a corner . . .
but sometimes a big brother puts baby in a basket :)

Eclipse 2017

He loves snorkel gear. This year we got him his own snorkel pack.

They love to set up "camping" in the front yard.

His good buddy Colton rode the bus to our house a few times this year.

First library card!

School pictures. We were so pleased!

our Hawesville Classical Conversations community

Meeting George Washington isn't an everyday occurrence.

Every other reading lesson has a game.
Flipping eggs was a favorite!

Zoo with friends!

We studied the body the first half of our school year.

Helping Dad build his loft bed.

Squanto for a school report on Halloween.

He finish his first (of two) math books on November 1.
This boy was trucking!

Cousin time at Thanksgiving.

A full and thankful heart.

A brave surprise.

He loves the Christmas train.

Decorating cookies at the library.

He made this on his own during nap time using a step by step "Draw the USA" book.
"I love it. Yay. I finished my first map."

This is his favorite spot at the Kentucky Science Center.

Celebrating the end of Level 1 Reading with Target popcorn and slushies.

Not quite gorilla size, but getting there fast.

When spring is one of your new words on the first day of Spring!

Post school antics.

First tooth!

Second tooth one week later at school.

He has a helping spirit. 

Keeping an eye on our eggs.

Making cinnamon rolls on his last day as a five year old.

And just like that, he is SIX!!!!!!