Austin Scott. When did you go and grow up? The difference between 5 year old Austin and 6 year old Austin seems more than what one simple year could achieve on it's own. Austin, you're truly a joy. You're kind, generous, hilarious, and determined.
Stats:
38 lbs. 5T clothing. No lost teeth and the biggest smile.
Things we want to remember about Austin at this age:
-He started KINDERGARTEN this year! He's especially excited about his Tech Class and Poetry Treat Time.
-He's such a great helper, with everything. He loves to do what we are doing and he enjoys learning the process of new things and then helping to accomplish the tasks. He's done a lot to be involved with finishing our basement, always asking what we are doing and why and finding ways that he can help us.
-This carries over into lots of different areas, but one of the biggest one is that he LOVES to help in the kitchen and he's a really great little chef. We got some special knives so that he can help cut things, his favorite. But he also specializes in making pancakes and smoothies, in fact- when we are making either of those things, I just get him started and let him do all of the flipping/blending while I help the other kids or do the dishes. He's just good at it. He loves to cook, but he especially loves the quality time together in the kitchen. I think that is one of his love languages for sure.
-He worked hard at his family economy and saved up enough money to buy this great big container of cheesy puffs. He had seen it months earlier, and little by little he saved up until he had enough. I was so proud of him, but even more proud when he shared his puffs with his siblings and friends through the course of the whole week that he had them. He's a hard worker and a great sharer.
*Insert Note about the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic*
This uear, a virus called the Coronavirus swept over the world. In March, it his the USA and we completely shut down. It's been a difficult six months, in many ways. We've spent a lot of time quarantined to our home, we had to stop all of our extracurricular (and even out-of-the-house) activities, no friends, no parks, no swimming pools. Our attempts at slowing the virus and keeping our family safe have been successful and I'm just so grateful for Austin's good attitude - that even when everything in the world seems to be upside down, he's there with a smile and a solution for "something else we could do instead".
-With the pandemic we started doing Church at Home. It has been a special thing for our family. Austin has given several talks, taught several lessons, and recited several scriptures for us. David is able to bless and pass the sacrament, and although it's usually just the six of us - we've been able to have my parents down once and Aunt Amy over once.
Luckily, our homeschool wasn't hit terribly hard by the pandemic. Public schools were all closed down, but we kept along with the things that were of most value to us (although, even we had to scale things back back physically and mentally to accommodate for all the upheaval). I've never been more grateful to homeschool. Learning, loving, reading, worshipping, and playing together. I hope that it is making for a wonderful childhood for these kids.
(I can't remember how, but Austin earned this soda and he was SO proud.)
Austin LOVES playing games. Card games specifically, although board games are loved, too. I think that we have played Cover your Assets about 1,000 times in the past six months. (And because of that, Austin entered kindergarten knowing how to count by 5s, 10s, and 25s.) I love that we can incorporate games into our school-day.
Austin planned and prepared our entire April Fools day this year. My favorite part (which is also his favorite part)? The "piece of paper with black marker on top". Ha. it's a plate with yogurt smeared all over and two black licorice pieces placed on top. He came up with it all and insisted her make it exactly as it was in his head. He was so happy about it all.
-He loves Lucy so much. Both HER and HIS birthday videos this year have a large amount of time dedicated to him throwing things/jumping around her to make her laugh. He's a great brother.
-Exploring the Saratoga Springs Temple grounds.
-Playing his Waterford Upstart preschool computer time.
-Easter.
-Helping us celebrate finally having storage shelves built in our basement.
-Always getting exploring and getting our hands dirty.
-We spent a whole lot of time in our house over the past six months, but we did manage to sneak away to the mountains for a little bit. Any bit of sunshine has been appreciated (and needed).
-Aunt Amy came over and we had a Food Network style Rice Crispy contest. Austin, predictably, put in the fruity flavored marshmallows plus every kind of candy available. This boy loves a good sugar-rush.
-Also of note, Poetry treat time is Austin's favorite part of homeschool and I hope that never changes.
-A science/scripture activity about having our hearts changed in Christ.
-This is MY FAVORITE picture of him with his spiky hair. I can not, for the life of me figure out how to handle his hair. If it's short it sticks up and wont lay flat - so I've been having him grow it out and hoping that as it gets longer, it will lay flatter. But no. It just sticks out all over the place and makes me laugh. We can't seem to tame it.
We have been dying without our basement space for so long.
-Austin's first set of stitches after a rough encounter with the end of a swinging garden hose.
-One thing that I love is that Austin loves to take pictures with me, then print them out and hang them by his bed. This happens especially when I have to leave for a night (I went on a trip to see my sister Jenna in Iowa and also David and I went away for a weekend.) The picture helps him "not to miss me so much" and it just melts my heart. These pictures are hanging on his wall, still and it makes me so happy to know how much our relationship means to him.
-I asked David what he wanted to remember about Austin at this age and he said "When I think of Austin I think of him as our early riser. He wakes up early in the morning and he's just happy and ready to go. He wants to read a book or eat breakfast or get going with the day. He's definitely a morning bird.
-Also he has been a game player these last six months. He LOVES to play games."
Here are some other pictures from the last six months:
Austin Scott. You are the sweetest, most loving, most wonderful six year old we know. You are living in an incredibly hard period of time in the history of the world but you're navigating it well. I hope that we can always teach you to work through your feelings, to love strong, to work hard, to be kind, and to look for the bright side of things. We love you so much.
