Enoch turns 6

We have a growing little boy on our hands... and he is officially 6 years old now!  I'm not even sure how to do a complete update post for Enoch,  but I'll at least give it a go.

First, for a few facts.  Enoch has lost 3 teeth, he wears a size 6 clothes and a size 12 or 13 in shoes.  He has daily chores, mainly in the morning, of unloading the dishwasher, feeding/watering the dog, and emptying the compost bucket.  He often also vacuums, helps fold/put away laundry, and mops the tile floors. Enoch and I do homeschool 4-5 days per week, usually while the girls nap, which ends up being good quality time for us.  Right now we cover Reading, Math, Handwriting, and Critical Thinking in school.  This Fall we technically consider him being in first grade (though we've been doing homeschool for quite awhile now), and that has opened up a few new opportunities for him.  First of all, he is playing flag football with a group of other 5-7 year old boys once a week.  Secondly, he began participating in the big boys' Sunday school class at our church (6-12 year olds), also once per week. And lastly, he has been engaged with a group called Trail Life, which focuses on building character and doing outdoor activities like camping (similar to Boy Scouts).   All of these additions have gone smoothly, and we've enjoyed seeing Enoch easing into new roles and relationships.



Now, for some random yet important things that I want to remember... Every morning the first thing Enoch does is climb in my lap and snuggle in the rocking chair.  He loves being read aloud to, and especially if you will rub his back or his arm while doing so (I think his strong love language is definitely physical touch).  When he has free time, Little Man enjoys building Legos (we have a block room pretty much devoted to them), creating in the school room with paper, glue, markers, scissors, rope, sticks, pipe cleaners, etc, playing outside, riding his bike, reading books, playing guitar, or helping me/Hugh with a project.

The three big kids get along pretty well when they're engaged with some task or fun activity, especially if it's outside.  Here are some specific details about relationships:  Karis is kind of like Enoch's little buddy.  They used to sit beside each other in the car, which bonded them quite a bit, I think.  He loves helping her care for her babies and laughing at her stories and dancing with her.  When she cries at night or throws a fit, he's usually the first one to come and try to cheer her up or figure out what's wrong.  Enoch loves riding bikes with Alaythia, having concerts with her, and reading alongside her.  They are both very similar (voices, reactions, strong-headed-ness, etc.), which means that they are either best friends or worst enemies.  :)  Enoch is still quite enamored with baby Zoe (6 mos old now).  He loves to make her laugh... all the time.  He is always willing to hold her, and he begs to help change her diaper and get her ready for bed.

Here are a few photos and videos to show what life with our Little Man is like these days.

Birthday morning snuggles

 

Birthday morning baking 

 Birthday cake decorating

And blowing out the candles (warning, it's a little loud at the beginning!):

Here's a poem Enoch memorized in school about being six.  It is titled "Now We Are Six" by A.A. Milne, and you can find the words here.  (He memorized it while writing in out for his handwriting practice.)

 

 Birthday lego set (he picked out this street sweeper/excavator combo, but here the machine hasn't been put together yet.)

 Reading with Alaythia while Daddy works on something in the car

Duck mask (he has also been into a creative/crafting spell lately where he makes masks, flags, pictures, and lots of other things) 

Our homeschool group has a Fall sports program that he participated in this year.  This is half of the little boys group, practicing flag football.  Enoch is the little boy in the green shirt on the far right. 

 Playing guitar

Enoch still loves to sing and play music, especially when he has an audience!

 We just got some kid knives, and he just loves cutting up our fruits and veggies that we eat for snack and lunch, which is a double win because it really does help me!

 Craft time with Alaythia at CFA.  We don't do this often because it is often crowded and crazy, but they both really enjoyed making crowns.

 Cutting and reading during school.  (We use All About Reading, and it has worked very well for us so far!)

 At the refuge with the girls.

 Enoch has a few Where is Waldo books in the car, and he loves reading them while we drive.

 More school stuff... Here he was showing me how to make 10 with addition using his blocks (1+8+1=10 or 5+5=10, etc.).  We use Math-U-See, and we both love it!!

 Dressing up in his Fall clothes.

 Loving on Zoe after her bath (he loves baby Zoe so much!)

Another one of his creations.  I love seeing glimpses of his theology being formed: "God is good." 

Shopping with Alaythia

And, if you're still here, then you're in for one last treat.  This is Enoch's favorite poem (so far), and he loves to quote it!  It is called "Wind on the Hill" by A.A. Milne.  (He also memorized this one by writing it out during school.)