Dawson really seems like such a big kid these days. Some of Dawson's friends he plays with at 5.5 are Carson, Charlie, and Colt. Carson and Dawson are big buds because they're in the same class at school and at church, so he talks about Carson all the time! Two other friends from his class he frequently talks about are Evan and Rowan.
Here are a few of his favorite things:
Favorite Shows: Curious George, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Super Why (Super Why is really Carter's favorite, and Dawson always complains that it's "Carter's Show" BUT then I catch him watching it and spelling the words right along with them. We think he secretly likes it!)
Favorite Toys: Trucks, Tractors, Bruder trucks, his cash register, his play kitchen, and his workshop. He is really into pretend play right now. So his play kitchen is regularly a bakery, a restaurant, or specifically, Olive Garden! His workshop used for a workshop, a barbershop/Sports Clips, a "girls haircut place," a bookstore, a tool store, and Bass Pro Shop. Dawson still LOVES his John Deere Gator and is happy to ride on it no matter the weather-although it's been WAAAAY too cold here lately! Oh, and Dawson has always and continues to love art! Anything he can color, draw, or paint he's happy with! He keeps a pen and paper in the car and in several spots in the house and he is regularly writing letters or words and drawing pictures!
Favorites Outings: Loves going to the zoo, Dollywood, Nana and Grandad's house, Lolly and Pop's house, and walks or bike rides in the neighborhood down to a house on the corner to see the cat named "Keelie" or the other corner to see the dog named "Riley" (I'm sure that these neighbors don't know who were are much less that we remember their pets from one-time interactions, but these pets are regular parts of our conversations, haha!)
Favorite Topics of Conversation: "Do we have plans for today?" (and if the answer is no, we must immediately make plans!) "Carter/Nora Kate doesn't know ___, because he's only two and I'm five!"
Other things I want to remember about Dawson at 4.5:
-He makes his bed like a champ! Each day Dawson has 4 chores to do. He has to make his bed each morning, take his water cup from his nightstand to the kitchen counter, and put his pajamas in the hamper. His fourth chore is in the evenings, and we have to pick up EVERYTHING in the playroom. He is such a wonderful boy about his chores. Many mornings he does the morning chores without me reminding him. Dawson usually always has such a good attitude about making his bed, that just here lately Carter has started begging to make his own bed!
-He still takes a nap...most days! Any time friends with 5-year-olds hear this, they say they cannot believe I can still get him to nap. This is my reply:
-I deserve it! This kid didn't sleep through the night until after his 1st birthday, so I'm being rewarded now.
-Dawson is on the go constantly! From the time Dawson wakes up at 7:30 on the dot every day, until he goes to be at 8:00, Dawson is moving! Even when we have at home, relaxing, pajama days...Dawson is still always moving, jumping, crawling around with Nora Kate and Carter, etc. He has full-time entertainment in me, Carter, and Nora Kate-so it's constant stimulation. Even though I mentioned favorite tv shows, he never sits and watches tv for long at all (he has always been this way!), and if he does sit and watch it he is usually doing something else at the same time-coloring, writing, building legos or a train track.
-Even though I say he naps, his nap is only about 45 minutes. BUT he NEEDS these 45 minutes. He always falls asleep quickly-so I know he needs it! AND when he wakes he seems rested.
-We let him skip his nap about 1 or 2 days a week, and he does find on those days too. However, by 7:30 he's VERY sleepy on those days!
-Dawson is a great helper to us! Dawson has always LOVED to help, and I try to take advantage of this. It makes him feel good to help and it obviously helps me-so it's a win-win! He loves to swiffer the wood floors, vacuum the playroom carpet, help me cook, get the mail/put mail in the box, collect sticks in the yard and put them in "the stick pile," and so on.
-He is a great big brother! I won't act like we don't have our moments when Dawson and Carter (usually it's these two and not Dawson and Nora Kate----yet, at least) are arguing or upset with each other, but all in all Dawson is a GREAT big brother! He's helpful, kind, and encouraging to Carter and Nora Kate! He shares in their victories: "Look Nora Kate just learned how to spin circles-Nora Kate that's so good! Good job!" And as he says these sorts of things, you can tell he is genuinely happy. I just love that Dawson and Carter have each other, I think their brotherly love is so sweet. They LOVE sharing a room. In fact, in a recent conversation about sharing a room Dawson told me they were "gonna share a room forever...until we move to my farm!"
-...speaking of his farm. He has big plans! Dawson has talked forever about how he's going to be a farmer when he grows up. He is very specific, and talks about this EVERYDAY!! He knows what veggies and fruits he will grow, what animals he will have and won't have, he has names for some of the animals, he knows what kinds of tractors he will have, he wants Nora Kate and Carter to come live on his farm too, and he says his farm will be called DC FARM because Dawson and Carter will be there. I love to hear him talk about his farm! SO sweet!
While it's hard to believe my sweet baby is already 5.5 years old, he really is a joy each day to watch growing, learning, and changing!
