Dear Callum,

You are such a fun little pup. I’ve been seeing so much evidence of your creativity and joy lately, and it’s delightful to be a part of it. School is continuing to go well. Unlike your brothers, you’d probably be happy to stick with online school forever. Next week is the beginning of 100% in-person education in our state (as opposed to the hybrid model, which the governor has axed). For all three kids, we’ve chosen to remain on the all-online model. COVID rates in our county are dropping, and I hope that continues to happen as more people get vaccinated, but the very same governor has also removed mask requirements and capacity limits on bars and restaurants. Our city still has a mask ordinance in place, so I hope we have a bit of a local bubble, but I still don’t feel confident sending you to school under the circumstances.

Your teacher mentioned today that several of your classmates will be leaving your online class and moving to in-person education, and the ones who attend our home school will have Mrs. Jensen and Mrs. Turnquist for kindergarten. I was envious in a way, because Miles and Tobin have had those teachers, and they’re both fantastic. You are definitely missing out on some important parts of the kindergarten experience by not seeing wonderful teachers like them face-to-face every day. You also would benefit from more independence. You did fine at preschool after a few nervous days, so I know you’ll sort it out once you move back to in-person school, but it will certainly be an adjustment.

Still, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the ICCSD teachers and staff have done an incredible job of building a true online curriculum. The specials teachers have built so many robust and interactive activities. We’ve set a lot of bookmarks so we can go back to the coding activities and stories from your library class, the songs and poems from your music class, the exercises and games from your P.E. class, and the art projects from your art class. Mrs. Turnquist was also instrumental in building the online science offerings, and those have become your absolute favorite. We’ve done so many interesting science activities and experiments together. We made plywood and particle board, sparkly blue paper out of pulverized toilet paper, a papier mâché bowl, and a weaving project that mimics the woven fibers of cloth. I can’t believe I missed out on doing all these projects when your brothers were in kindergarten.

You love organizing family events. You have a Valentine’s Day party planned for us at which we will eat treats, play WiiU bowling (is our WiiU even hooked up? I’ll have to check on that), and dance. You’re silly and sweet and lots of fun. You’re also tenderhearted and somewhat easily wounded. I have to watch my words carefully to avoid accidentally stinging you. You got a little teary today when you found out that Jackie Robinson died (in 1972).

Every now and then lately, you’ve been coming into bed with your dad and me during the night. It might be because Tobin hogs the blankets or the bed and you get uncomfortable—your dad said that when he went to wake Tobin up this morning, he was totally perpendicular to the regular orientation of the bed. While I don’t always get the best night’s sleep when this happens, it’s hard to say no to a cuddly little Callum. Now that I’m on kid three, I’m painfully aware of how fast you grow up. Miles would never dream of coming in for a cuddle now. He barely lets me brush my arm against his shoulder in affection. With my first kid, and to a much lesser extent with my second, I worried about forming bad habits and doing things “right.” Now I wonder what the hell I was thinking. Am I ever going to look back on my life and wish I’d spent less time holding you close while you’ll still let me?

Though we’ve offered you guys more privacy, for the time being, you still all choose to sleep in the same room. Miles has his own bedroom (with a bed in it, even), but he still prefers to sleep in the top bunk, and you and Tobin share the double bed on the bottom bunk. As I mentioned, Tobin’s physical size and wiggliness might be causing problems, but you all seem okay with it overall. A while ago you said to me, in a tone of true sadness and empathy, “Did you know that some people have to sleep all alone?” I can see your point. While some people sleep alone by choice, I prefer to sleep with your dad. It gets a little crowded with three of us in there, but it doesn’t happen often, and I know there will be a last time it happens at all.

Your current favorites: the book Mice and Beans by Pam Muñoz Ryan, mini pizzas, craft projects, watching Zacscottgames on YouTube, reading new words, and suggesting outlandish projects that I am reluctant to commit to doing (e.g., building a treehouse). Maybe when the summer comes we’ll do something larger-scale, but after all the work I witnessed our contractor and his team do, I don’t feel like touching lumber and drills and saws. I’m more of a papier mâché person. Mice and Beans has a cool piñata that looks like a turkey. Maybe we could make one of those.

I hope next month at this time the sub-zero temperatures are behind us and we’re starting to see a glimpse of spring. We don’t have any Spring Break vacation plans this year, obviously, but we’re hoping to spend some time with Mubby and Skitter and maybe even get outdoors a little.

You’re a great adventure buddy, my sweet boy. We’ll keep at it together.

Love,

Mommy