Paul

This Paul -wow- he is full of admirable qualities!  He is unique and surprises me all the time with his work ethic.  I remember on Christmas Eve, we spent the day raking leaves.  Paul worked NON-STOP till the job was done.  He didn't take breaks to swing on the swing or play with the neighbor's cat, he worked with ready hands and an winning attitude.  Yes, admittingly, he does act normal every once in a while, where he doesn't feel like doing something or feels like he can't.  But man, when this boy is in the game mentally, he is miraculous!

Speaking of games, Brad takes the boys to the gym every so often and works on basketball skills.  Paul is phenomenal.  He can dribble real great.  He can dribble while concentrating on the hoop or his dad.  He works really hard to get better and better at shooting and any other skill they are working on.  Afterwards, Brad takes the upstairs to run laps.  Paul can run a mile straight.  He says, "The more I run, the more I want to run!"  Brad takes breaks to lift weights and Paul observes every move.  He then comes home and while reading scriptures he bench presses Brad's legs :)  He says he is "Doing Muscles!"

Paul has grown to have great concentration and wonderful motor skills.  This is a Perplexis, a 3D maze with a marble.  He got it for Christmas and he tries and tries to pass it.  He does exceptional! 

Paul has started reading well too!  I taught him first his letters and sounds and now we are moving onto sight words and sounding simple words out.  (Thanks Jess for the suggestion!)  He gets take home readers from his preschool and I get the words from them and he likes to pick a few to add to the flash cards.  He loves to review his flash cards and he loves to read his take home readers over and over again!

Paul can't wait to go to preschool everyday.  It seems that I am left teaching him the reading and counting.  At first I was a little disappointed, but I have come to realize all that he is learning.  He is learning:

• To love school
• Cooperation
• Writing skills and technique
• How to start and complete a big project
• Cooperation
• Many many games!  They work on small and large motor skills everyday.  Along with games, they learn HOW TO LOSE.  Winning is fun, but a lot of games only have one winner and when they win, they are so excited, but when they lose, they learn to be happy for the winner and that it is ok!
• Songs!  I could never teach him this!
• All of his letters, he has learned them through and through by heart.
• Sigh language!
• Participation and how to wait till your are called on.
• They do a lot of crafts.
• They have 3 teachers and 13 kids.  So they get the help and assistance when they need it.

Paul loves school!  I happen to really miss him a lot when he is gone though...  I love his excitement when I pick him up and he can't wait to tell me all about his day!  He also wants to continue learning at home.  He loves when I or Hyrum spend an hour reading to him and he want to write and count and sing! 

When Hyrum is at school, Paul and Bryan play and play and play!!!  They get along so well and always imagining away.  Bryan really looks up to his older brothers, but has really taken to Paul lately.  Bryan wants to be a "Cowboy Pilot" just like Paul. 

Paul loves his cousins, this happens to be Brenna.  He loves all his cousins mucho!

Paul spends a large portion of his day singing.  While he plays, he usually has a song stuck in his head...  Usually from American Legends:  Paul Bunyan or John Henry.  He takes great pride that he and Paul Bunyan share a name.  And out of all our boys, he is the biggest.  He always lingers around the 75th percentile for height.  He yo-yo's against Hyrum's height.  He has never passed him up, but he has gotten with in an inch or so many times.

He still plays with his hair all the time :)  And when he is sitting by me, he plays with my hair too.  It is so cute!

Paul plays the violin and watching him learn has been a joy!  He is on Tukka Tukka Stop Stop and works so hard to hold his bow right,  play between the stickers, hold the violin right and have his fingers right on the tape and so on.  I would have never believed how complicated it is to play!  Twenty things need to be done perfectly simultaneously.  It would be so easy to give up...  But not Paul, he enjoys playing and practicing everyday (mostly, he does have his days :)  I love when he sets a goal and he chooses for himself to accomplish it!  He does very well! 

Paul is helpful. Paul is loving.  He does everything he can to be a "good guy" and choose the right.  He is honest.  He is active and athletic.  He is full of energy and his eyes are full of light!  I love Paul and I am excited to see what he makes of himself!