Xavier's Learning Journey

A whole post just about the soon to be middle child.  As a middle child it's important that Mr. Xavier get his own shining moments!  He's also showing me a TON of improvement lately in the short moments that we school together.  As a three year old I don't bombard him with workbooks and sit down education, however there are certain things I'm intentional about teaching him.  Fine motor skills (coloring, cutting, holding a pencil) are among 'top' in my book of things to "teach" before it's time to really need to "school."  Here's a picture walk of his growth...

I know I posted a pic of him cutting just a week or so ago, but there's something truly darling (to me) about a little boy in glasses concentrating so hard on his cutting!  He's doing great with his big scissors and today I watched him help a friend who is just a little younger re-adjust her's so her thumb was in the right spot and it would be easier for her.

 

This is a letter person he "colored" in mid September.  This was what much of his work looked like.  No matter how much I encouraged and {begged} this is as good as it got.  I finally gave up, thinking "he's a 3 year old boy...at least he's sitting."

 

 This was the letter person from this week. Look at the brilliant colors and how full he made his picture!  This has been going on for about a week and I'm so pleased I gave up nagging and let him just mature in this way on his own. 

Here's one of him hard at it last week.  The silly face is him perturbed that I'm taking pictures!  He's doing a great job here of picking out the capital N's and coloring them in fully!  I do attribute some of this success to his glasses - they've sure helped him be able to focus in and see the lines well.  Of course, the rest I attribute to his "want" to do this type of activity!

And this...it's just a bonus picture.  Oh, we rarely  spend money on Halloween anything...costumes, etc.  I try to whip them up homemade or second hand.  This year he was dying for a motorcycle coat like dad's...not just for Halloween but for daily life.  I priced them and decided firmly against it and then one floated across Zulily one day...lucky boy, he got a rare splurge!  He's mighty happy, and mighty cute!

Oh, Xavier...you are rowdy and rough and tumble and 100% boy.  When you snuggle you are the sweetest on earth...when you are naughty, you are the naughtiest on earth!  Everyday you want to wear jeans and a belt and when I told you that you couldn't because I wasn't going to undo the belt for you to potty every time you had to go you just taught yourself to do it...and so, you get to wear what you want because you proved you can handle the responsibility.  We're proud of how you're growing up and excited to watch you become a big brother!  We love you very much!