He's growing up

I'm not sure why...maybe it has something to do with him going to school and being around lots of other kids, or maybe it's his age, but since Matthew turned 6 some things in him have begun to awaken...things about him I didn't know were there. It's been unfolding over the last few months, and it's fascinating to watch.

Matthew has always been the cerebral type; an intellectual if you will. He's been known to spend lots of time drawing maps but never really drawing pictures. Lately though, he's been drawing very elaborate pictures of his school. He's drawn his classroom, his art class, and a detailed drawing of him and his classmates running around the track. Track days are a big deal to Matt. Apparently, they have broken themselves down into teams and collect points for the number of laps they run and what place they finish. This has breathed a whole new spirit of competitiveness in my son. It sounds like he and his classmate, Finn, are always battling it out for first place. I've learned that there is a punk kid named Max who likes to push. This doesn't seem to bother Matt though because he just breezes through fighting for first. He did confess that he teases the others as he runs past them. He's said he even runs extra laps so his team will get more points. The kid is motivated and he likes to win. He is always so proud on the days he comes in first place.

Matthew has begun some creative writing as well. This piece he wrote right before Christmas. He had told me that he and his friend Anna write stories for their chapter book while they're at recess. This one he wrote down one day in Art class after he'd finished with his work. This is what it says......The Adventures of Matthew and Anna; Book 1: Super Kids. One day at dawn some zombies showed up. They took us to jail. But Matthew Gun Boy got some break out of jail juice. That was our first book 1. So awesome. I can't wait for the second installment!

Matt has never really been interested in sports; viewing nor participating in them. As football season progressed, he became more and more excited by watching the games on TV. By the time playoffs came around, he had favorite teams and would sit and watch the games with us. He nearly cried when the Saints lost in the playoffs. I think the original pull to it probably had to do with his love of numbers. He was interested in the scoring and how the game was divided up into quarters. Then he began to pay more attention to the actual game, and a passion for football developed.

Now, he plays football in the house and out in the backyard almost daily. He tries to convince Will to play with him, but when Will isn't agreeable he plays the most hilarious games of football outside all by himself. It's like he's play-calling and running the plays at the same time. My favorite is when he tells me to watch the replay of a certain catch, tackle or touchdown. He re-enacts the entire sequence in slow motion falling dramatically to the ground or reaching up with a face torn in concentration to make an amazing catch. It's a sight to behold, let me tell you. He will either tell me to keep score on a sheet of paper or he will run inside after each play and keep score with his magnetic letters and numbers on the fridge. What's confusing though is the matchups are often a college team versus a pro team. Baylor has been known to play the Redskins. And Texas has been known to play the NY Jets.

Matt really loves the afternoons that Steven is home and will actually play football in the yard with him. They run and throw the ball and tackle each other and imagine all kinds of glorious scoring drives. Again, it's a real treat to watch. What's my favorite part? It's difficult to choose between Matt's sheer determination and tenaciousness, Will's enthusiasm and complete non-understanding of how the game of football is played and his natural instinct to run in the wrong direction, or Steven hustling back and forth across the yard being brought down by two small people. There's a lot to love about this particular photo: Steven's face as Matt wraps his arms around him and crushes his tenders, Matt's unrelenting desire to bring Steven down, and that Matt lost a shoe in the process. So, so funny.

Riding on the heels of his recent love of football, I have signed Matt up to play flag football in March. He is super duper excited. If he can match the intensity and enthusiasm with which he plays his games at home with playing on a team, I think he's going to be amazing. Can't wait to watch him!