All things Michael

Michael.  He's such an extraordinary kid.  I feel like he often struggles to find his place in this family.  He has so much fun playing with Molly, but I've noticed lately, when they do arts and craft type material, he sees just how neat Molly is, and how messy his is, and gets frustrated.  This makes me certain that splitting them up in Kindergarten is for the best.  I don't want him to compare himself to her.

He wants to be JUST like big brother Sam. Whatever show Sam likes is Michael's favorite too.  Whatever Sam enjoys playing with, Michael plays with. Currently the favorite thing to play with is Legos.  But while Sam insists on building things step by step, and saving completed models forever (or until Michael or Ben crush them), Michael gets really bored building them.  He plays with them for a bit, but they inevitably break, and then he creates even cooler things out of the pieces.  He has such an unbelievable imagination.  A lot of the things that come easily to Sam, don't come easily for Michael.  He tried Tae Kwon Do, because Sam was doing it, but he didn't really like it.  He doesn't have a real desire to do any other sports, but when we went to Skate night for Sam's school, he really clicked with ice skating, and wanted to do it again.  SOLD!  We signed him up for lessons, knowing it was probably going to be challenging.  But it was something he was interested in.  I actually haven't gone to watch yet, because he really seems to enjoy his solo daddy time.  Chris says it's really hard for him.  But he's the most determined kid out there.  He cries when he falls, but he never gives up.  Of course Molly and Sam now want to take skate lessons.  I told Chris that before anyone else goes skating again, we need to let Michael get really good, so he can be proud and show off a little.

Up until very recently, Michael has kind of tolerated Ben, much like Sam tolerated him when he was little.  He mostly sees him as a lego breaking, drawing crumpling, glasses grabbing, pest.  The funny thing- is that they are *so* much alike, personality wise.  The past couple of weeks, Michael has started playing with Ben. And Ben LOVES it.  He is totally soaking it up. He follows Michael around and does exactly what he does.    If Michael walks across the room and steps on a pillow along the way, Ben is sure to step on the pillow also.  If he stands up on the couch and jumps off, so does Ben.  It's so cute to watch, and I'm so happy that Michael is finally embracing him.  I'm thinking we're in trouble when Ben is a little older and the two put their minds together.  Surely it can't be worse than twin powers, right?  We'll see.

Anyways-  I'll close with this, which was my whole reason for initially starting this post.  Michael's favorite breakfast treat is Banana Bread, heavy on the butter.  I usually comply, because, well, I used to eat pats of butter from restaurants as a child, so who am I to judge?  He was eating some today, just randomly nibbling, and this was what was leftover when he was done.

I mean, is that a pretty good Virginia or what?  Maybe I should sell it on ebay.  What an extraordinary kid!