My little boy is almost six, and I can't believe it. So what's going on in Rocco's life lately? He's doing really well in school. Jason still gets him ready for school in the morning, and he decorates his apple toaster strudel like a football field. Then, when they get to school he carries him in on his shoulders.
He continues to do well in school - making A's on his spelling tests, making 100's and/or not missing more than one question on his AR tests, and hoping to be the leader. That's right. Every day I pick him up from school (now that I'm on rest with my pregnancy), the first thing he tells me is who the leader was. Mrs. Bond randomly picks out a popsicle stick with a student's name on it to be the day's leader. There are about 19 kids in his class, so once he's the leader he has to wait for everyone else to be the leader before it could possibly be his turn again. And on the day when he is chosen as the leader, it's like the best day ever! Rocco enjoys being a car rider. I guess it beats having to stay at school an extra 30 minutes in my classroom when I was working.
The other day he experienced his first breakup. It came a few days after Valentines Day. Riley, his girlfriend since preK, told him that he wasn't her boyfriend anymore. As he's telling me this from his car seat, my heart just broke. I looked at him , and he didn't seem to be bothered by it at all. "Well, who needs her?" was my response, hoping he'd see it was alright. He told me that he didn't want a girlfriend anyway...and that was that. Riley had 3 boyfriends (Rocco, Will Cox, and Hayes Gunn). This was well known; Rocco would often tell me. At the school Valentine's party a few days prior, Hayes showered her with tons of gifts. Rocco gave her nothing except a Power Rangers card, which he gave to everyone in his class. After the break up he decided he didn't want any girls invited to his birthday party...boys only! (Below is a pic of Rocco and Riley. Riley is holding the bear Hayes gave her.)
We have been so blessed to have a son who is so well behaved and respectful. The other day, though, we had our first experience this school year with a behavior problem. As soon as I picked him up he spilled it out. He wasn't even buckled in his seat when he blurted out, "Mom, it's okay but I got my first minus today. It was only one though." I asked him what he did, and he said that he didn't remember. Well, I knew good and well that he knew. I opened up his agenda to find that he had been sliding on his knees during PE in the gym. I told him I was disappointed but that he needed to learn from that and not do it again. I reminded him that if he got more than 3 minuses he would not be able to go to the good behavior party. And that's about all we said. When Jason got home a few hours later, I asked Rocco if he wanted to tell his daddy something. "No." Well, I told Jason and we just briefly reminded him to not let it happen again. That was it. I couldn't scold him too hard. For one he was so honest in letting me know and two, sliding on his knees? There are things lots worse in this world. Of course, I didn't let him know I thought that. The bottom line is that he was doing something he was not supposed to, and we ultimately want him to be respectful of his teachers. A week later I picked up Rocco from school. "I've got some good news/surprise in my book bag, mom! I got a ticket to the good behavior party!" I was so proud, and we high fived each other.
He continues to be very sweet with my belly. He rubs on it and loves on his brother, he even told me the other day, "I can't wait 5 more weeks. I want my brother now!" One day he put his hand on my neck and felt my pulse. "Hey mom! I feel him kicking!" I had to explain to him that he was really feeling my heartbeat. I'm glad he enjoys feeling for the baby. That makes me feel good because how he reacts to this new baby has been my biggest concern. I don't want him to feel left out, second best, unloved, forgotten, etc. That's why I often remind him how much he means to me. "Rocco, you are my first baby. Maverick (his brother) is the second. I had you first, and you are the one who made me a mommy. You are so very special to me, and no matter how many babies I have I will always love you. I'm crazy about you. We're tight." He kids back with me. "That's not right," he'll say. He'll point to himself and say, "Second," and point to my belly and say, "First." We go back and forth laughing at who is right. Instead of focusing on how "lucky" he is to be a big brother, I've told him that this baby is so blessed to have him as a brother. I've bragged on him and told him how much Maverick is going to look up to him.
I've had 3 baby showers thus far and Rocco has helped me open presents at all of them. Thankfully, people have been thoughtful enough to give him presents, too. He really liked that! It was good that not all of the attention was on the baby.
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I've had a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions. One day I was hurting with one. I told him I was having a contraction. "Mom, a contraction is like i-s-n-'-t," he explained to me.
Here's a quick list of things he likes:
1) watching Power Rangers Samurai on TV
2) playing with Power Rangers toys, especially in the tub
3) being called into the "Boxing Ring" and fighting imaginary nighloks with his sword
4) chips, gum, crunchy (bacon, bread, etc)
5) American Idol tv show(he wants to be one of the judges when he grows up)
And so the next time I take his picture in this blue chair, he may not be an only child.
