I'm Six Now...



Birthday Boy

It all started February, 18, 2013 when Robert Wesley Swann awoke and realized that it was in fact his birthday! This was quite a feat in of itself as it was the first time he knew it was his birthday without being reminded (he'd been monitoring the days) and as the day approached and had at last arrived he was "six"!

Robert's birthday fell on Presidents' Day this year as it had before and I'm sure will again - so we made arrangements for school snack day to encompass his birthday celebration on Tuesday (school was out on Friday for Professional Development). Gotta love birthdays that coincide with holidays (a guaranteed day off school and when you reach adulthood - work, if your lucky). My birthday being April, 13th generally coincided with Spring Break, but as I got further along in school it seemed to always fall on the day we were slated to return to school (I know, sucks right?). Garrett's being April 8th also fell within Spring Break (I think he may even get an Easter birthday within his lifetime).

On Saturday, we ventured to Chuck E. Cheese (a mere 45-minute ride to the nearest location). Rah had a ball, played well with local children, ate a bunch of pizza, and was able to get a pic with Chuck himself. He was however, "found" in the scheduled "birthday section" of the venue seated at a nearby table attempting to take over someone else's party! I had to pry him away and explain to him that it was not his party or his "actual birthday", nor was he invited so he could not continue to disturb the party goers...he did not take that well. But after threats of leaving the entire venue altogether he quickly composed himself and went on his way without further incident.



Rah & Chuck

Rah focused at a video game

On Sunday, after church Rah and Daddy had "Daddy Time" and went to the movies. Rah loves his daddy so much and their personal time spent together makes my heart smile. It's such a great bonding experience and I'm only privy to the most general details - of which I wait anxiously to be provided. Darryl is such a wonderful dad and Rah can't get enough of him. He imitates everything he does, from his fascination with anything related to the military to his love of video games, football, and fishing. Their most recent fascination with guns is not quite my favorite, however Daddy Darryl is teaching Rah everything necessary about gun safety and ownership at an age appropriate level - I am very secure in his competence.

Flashback Photo - 2/3 of my boys! Darryl and his "mini-me"

Monday - The Day! Rah comes into our room and is simply excited. He is soooo happy that he is" six", it's hilarious. The first thing he does is asks me to measure him on his growth chart. Now, I generally make such measurements annually or semi-annually at max, but he was so insistent that I did because he "was six" and "got much bigger than he was when he was five" (just 24-hours ago)! LOL. So upon measuring him, there was no significant difference, less than a centimeter and if I measured accurately probably millimeter, but as I measured using a sharpie and just drew a stroke on a poster from where I perceive his big head reached, it resulted in growth. Now this made him basically "shut me down" in a "Boosha", "told you so" fashion - that since he was six he grew. He even came to a conclusion that the 6" marking on the poster corresponded to his new age as the 5" mark corresponded to that of him at 5; now I tried to tell him that was in fact not the case but he was not having it - so I just let it go.



Rah's growth chart - he got this when we went on a family cruise

12/5/2012 - 3'5" to 2/18/2013 - 3'5.8" (well 6"in his mind)

Now, that he had accomplished that feat he went on to bigger and better things - like his birthday party. So he asked me "When is my party?" I explained to him that instead of having a big party this year, he went to Chuck E. Cheese on Saturday, he had special Daddy Day on Sunday, and on Tuesday he will distribute "treat bags" to his friends and have cupcakes. Well this did not satisfy Mr. Robert at all and he told me so directly. He stated that it was not "authentically his birthday if he did not have a party". Now, taken aback by this I quickly explained that one does not need a party to have a birthday and this was in fact "an authentic" birthday and he, myself, and daddy would all gather tonight after dinner and have cake and ice cream, sing Happy Birthday, and he could blow out candles. To this Robert replied, that "without friends and presents my birthday doesn't exist and it is not really a birthday." So I again responded by asking if daddy and I not enough? Are we not your friends as well as family and wouldn't he have friends at his celebration tomorrow? Had he not just had two wonderful gifts of a trip to Chuck E. Cheese and a special Daddy Day? Robert went to his room without a reply and I'm assuming after thinking some time, saw that I was clearly hurt by not being viewed "important" so he said "you and daddy are my friends and cake and ice cream with my family is a good birthday. But, at school with my friends I'm still not getting presents, I'm giving them gift bags, their not giving me anything." Lawd!!! So, I explained to him that he would also get a "treat bag" but birthdays' are about sharing more than receiving and he needs to be more grateful. We spoke more about generosity and for then, he moved on...for then.

 Check out the Happy Birthday Video (song/candle blowing edition):

On scene comes Daddy Darryl who decided to FINALLY rescue me and take Rah for an impromptu outing. Rah dresses himself as usual - I give him freedom of creativity, he generally doesn't match and has on shorts but hey, its fairly warm but I notice he has on these sneakers that he has been trying to wear for over a year that are simply too big! Now, these shoes along with a bag of clothes (hand-me-downs always welcomed) were a donation from Janelle's son, Christopher. He's almost 2-years older than Rah but quite taller so his foot is much bigger. I had packed all of the items Rah would eventually grow into in a bag and placed them in his closet. Now, within this bag is a pair of Sketcher sneakers. Rah has been dying for a pair of Sketchers that light up and Darryl had tried getting him some before but couldn't find his size. Now, I know Sketchers may not be considered fashionable to most of you, but to a kid, anything with lights rock (so if he wants to wear Buzz Light Year's, I'd buy them) rather than buying $100 Jordan's, not that Sketchers are that inexpensive. Anyhow, he must have went through this bag and found these Sketchers...bring on the battle!

I said, "Rah, why do you have on those shoes?" "They are too big, put them back and stay out of that bag." He immediately told me that they in fact fit now because he was six! They did not fit a five year old, but they fit him now, because he grew (as I just measured), plus they are six year old shoes! So, again I'm trying to explain to him that this is not logical, but all of my speaking is in vain. Finally, Darryl tells me he has his foot pressed all the way to the front and he wants to wear them because he thinks they're "fast"! Oh my word!!! I'd never though of that!

All this time, he'd been trying to get those shoes was because he thought they were "fast shoes". Now Darryl of course told him that this is in fact not a possibility, but I am soooo delighted by this innocence that I just have to play along. So Rah quickly goes to the entry way and tiger crouches down and runs over to me. Man you would have sworn Edward the vampire from Twilight had entered my room. HA HA HA HA HA I laughed so hard I could barely breathe, I told him that in fact those shoes were surely fast - I hadn't the heart to tell him to take the off after that and as he and Darryl left immediately went online to www.sketchers.com to order my baby some Sketchers in his size. So, I guess he would get a "real present" yet (though not today).

But Daddy Darryl was a step ahead of me. Darryl and Rah came back with a pet from Walmart. Welcome Firero (Robert named him, maybe because he's red???)

Rah & Firero

Firero is a Beta fish and a wonderful first pet. I think Robert will be a wonderful pet owner, too. I told you Daddy Swann was a wonderful dad. And not only that, they went online together to research Firero and his habitat, behaviors, and how to care for him properly. Robert related all of this information to me, I was truly proud of them both (I love "teachable" moments)!

Firero's Home - Rah decorated

Researching Firero's Habitat



But alas he did not (last that is)...RIP Firero 2/23/2013. We were informed that Firero was old and we think possibly blind (if you looked closely at his eyes they were clouded, like he had cataracts). Can a fish have cataracts? LOL! Which may explain why he wouldn't eat when we put food in the tank, maybe he couldn't see it but wouldn't he sense the changes in motion of the water? Hmmmm. He'd just float and free fall and then regain himself and rise and move a little (kinda like a old man nodding off for a nap in a recliner and awaking suddenly to continue a conversation) but I guess that's what happens when you but a pet from a Walmart. So, after breaking the news to Rah who took it remarkably well when we told him we thought he was just told and tired, Daddy Darryl went to a real pet store this time and we welcomed "Blue Ray" into the family later that day! Seeing Blue Ray we truly noticed the difference between a young/healthy vs. sick /old fish and he has been thriving member of the family ever since!

Blue Ray in profile right

Blue Ray in profile left

He has a wonderful personality too - along with his iridescent hues of reds, purples and greens. He follows you around the tank and charges the top when you feed him. Darryl loves feeding and "playing" with him more than Rah and  believe as he is "aggressive" and swells up or puffs out his gills when he catches his reflection in the glass of the tank, thinking there is another fish present. We have even linked Rah's school behavior into feeding him - so if he gets a "green" (good) day he can feed him before school and that night, however if he gets a yellow (average) day he may only feed him in the evening; a red (bad) day results in no feeding from Rah. Darryl has taken over the feeding at such times otherwise, poor Blue Ray would surely meet Firero's unfortunate fate due to starvation!

 

 

 

Check out Blue Ray in action: