My little Tobin,

This is my last monthly letter to you of your sixth year.  In the next month, you’ll turn seven, go to the back to school night to get acquainted with your first grade classroom, and begin your next calendar and school year.  You’re very excited for your birthday, and I’m sure you’re looking forward to getting back together with your friends, but we’ve had a good summer so far.  You loved all the outdoorsy activities you did both in your summer classes and on your own.  You even got to drive a lawn tracker all by yourself at Nana and Papa’s farm last week (not pictured:  Papa, who was close behind you the whole time).

We’ve had some nice evenings lately, so you’ve been able to enjoy outside time at our park and beyond.  Miles is currently working on a short film, and he cast you in a major role.  You’re a natural on camera, and the scene of you doing a triumphant happy dance is one of my favorites.  Your favorite part is the enormous puffy wig you wear for a brief scene in which you play a different character (we ran out of family members for all the roles Miles wrote).  You wanted to wear it to eat lunch today, but I thought the potential for a tomato sauce/hair disaster was too great, so I didn’t let you.  We still have a little filming and editing to do, but it will be fun to share when we’re done.

Photo by Denny

We took a fun trip to Innsbrook, Missouri, for a get-together with Mubby, Skitter, Tyler, Oxana, and your cousins.  You caught the kayaking bug big time.  You didn’t have the patience to do a lot of fishing—standing still and being quiet are not your strong suits.  Kayaking, though, was perfect for you.  Your first time out, you shared a two-seater canoe with your dad, but you quickly convinced him that you could handle a solo kayak.  Your swimming skills are getting stronger all the time, and you wore a life jacket, so it seemed like a reasonable activity.  You loved it so much that you even woke up early on our last day so you could have a final spin around the lake.

Photo by Gary Clarke

Like Miles, you have been swept up in Hamilton mania.  We had a wonderful time at the show in Des Moines, thanks to the kindness of Nana for buying us the tickets.  You had no problem at all sitting still for the three-hour show (apparently the creative work of Lin Manuel Miranda is more compelling than fishing).  It ended way past your bedtime, but you didn’t fall asleep until you were strapped into the car.  You and Miles know almost all the lyrics, and you sing the soundtrack together all the time.

Most of your formal summer activities have ended now, so we’ve been having more relaxed time.  I took you and Miles to a showing of The Karate Kid a couple of weeks ago, and you enjoyed that a lot.  You haven’t caught a fly with chopsticks yet, but you’ve done a lot of air kicks.

As usual, I was bemoaning how old seven sounds, how I want you to be my cuddly baby.  Of course I only mean that in a nostalgic sense, because I’m thrilled with how you’re learning and growing.  The fact that you’re willing to read Callum the same book four times in a row is priceless, since it gives me a break from doing it.  You have maintained your generally sweet, sunshiney personality, your ability to make friends quickly, and your high-excitement approach to life.

Your current favorites:  the Wii U game Splatoon, pepperoni pizza, reading to Callum, outfit extremes (either bundled up in winter clothing or running around half-naked), giant and colossal squid, and drinking slushies.  You particularly enjoyed the non-alcoholic frozen margaritas we made last weekend.

Have a good last month of being six, my blue-eyed son.  I hope you keep happy-dancing as long as you have wiggly energy in your bones.

Love,

Mommy