Happy almost-end-of-summer, Miles.

Your biggest accomplishment of the last month has been your latest film, RU DUM.  It combines your love of silly sound effects, flashy scene transitions, and proctological humor.  The first two were pretty easy to do with iMovie, and the third came naturally out of you (you’re not the only one around here who can make fart jokes, though I think mine are somewhat more subtle).  It’s a fun and funny film, and you did a good job working with other family members, mostly Tobin, to showcase their talents and come up with a satisfying final product.  You even threw in a little stop-motion animation.  That was nice to see, since every day when I picked you up from animation camp earlier this summer, the only thing you talked about was werewolf game you played with your classmates during breaks.  I’m glad you learned some actual animation skills too.

Your dad and I have both noticed that you’ve been sweet and fun with Callum lately.  You and Tobin have been getting along pretty well, too, as a matter of fact.  You certainly still have your squabbles, but I’ve noticed what an effort you’ve been making to engage and entertain the little guys rather than get huffy when they desperately seek your attention.

I’ve noticed Callum making the exact same squinty-eyed annoyed face as you, but that could just be genetic.  I don’t think I yelled once on our drive home from piano lessons yesterday, and that seems to be the time and day of the week when we’re all most likely to melt down.  Sometimes things get better.  I’ve been a mom long enough to know I shouldn’t get cocky, that the mood can shift quickly, but overall it’s been a pretty peaceful summer.

We got your class assignment for next year, and you were happy to learn that you got Mr. Moore.  I don’t know him well, but I have a generally favorable impression, and word on the street among elementary schoolers is probably the best indicator anyway.  I’ve talked to one of your best friends’ moms, and unfortunately her son is not in your class.  It wouldn’t hurt you to widen your social circle a little, but we can also make an effort to get you guys together more on evenings and weekends.

The school year is descending quickly upon us.  I’ve been busy with PTO meetings, doing the kind of organizational stuff we do to keep things running.  You’ll be getting back into your school year activities, which for the fall will probably be Let Me Run and piano.  We have generally done swimming lessons in the fall, because it’s easier to get spots than during the summer, but I’m not sure they’re really necessary for you anymore.  The last few times we’ve gone swimming you’ve done great, strong and confident in the deep end.  I’m sure you could still use some honing of particular strokes, but in terms of recreational swimming, you’ve got it under control.

Fifth graders can start doing a band instrument through school, and I told you that you could choose either band or to re-start piano after your summer hiatus.  You got a little burned out on piano by the end of the last school year, maybe because the spring is always so busy for us with all the other activities that happen then.  After thinking about it for a while, you chose to re-start piano.  I think your dad was a bit disappointed by that, because he was in the school band and had positive memories of it.  I’m fine with your choice, because after one year of middling payoff as a clarinet player, I let band go and stuck with piano.  Your dad appreciated the social elements of band, particularly marching band, and I admit that the marching band is the only thing I find interesting at any football game, ever.  Still, as an adult, I play piano a lot more than your dad plays saxophone.  I suppose you could still change your mind.  I imagine you could get started fairly easily, since you already have a good grasp on beginning music theory through piano and choir.

You can also touch your tongue to your nose, which has to be useful for some instrument, right?

You’ll spend next week at Mubby and Skitter’s, where you’ll surely have a great time, and the week after that, the back-to-school scramble begins in earnest.  I know you’ll do well and have a good year, but I’ll miss what has been a really great summer.  You’ve slept in, read books, watched a lot of stupid YouTube videos, gone to museums, gone to the library, taken a trip to a lake, eaten plenty of ice cream, made a movie, and brushed your teeth nearly every day.  Cheers to a summer well-spent, my sweetheart.

Good job looking evil, but I can see right through it.

Love,

Mom