Officially TEN

Happy Birthday Kuba!

Kuba is ten!  Here he is in this birthday photo with his new Ukulele, wearing a pink tutu.  He's through and through a unique kid - thoroughly himself and proud of it.  He recently was at the kid space in a museum and they had a bunch of dress up clothes for kids to play with.   He discovered a pink tutu and fell in love with it.  It immediately went onto his birthday list.  He's ten, but he's still such a kid -and the kind of kid who trusts his instincts and rolls with his imagination.   If he likes it, why not?   Who cares about gender roles/norms?    

I have often written about my boys here on the blog on their birthdays.   After 12 years of the blog, I found that I love these posts the most, I love reading about the kids from that year. Here's my piece about Kuba on 11/2/17.

It's been a big year for Kuba - with lots going on and soooo much growing.  

He's maintaining his height at the top of the growth chart, and this year he's started to bulk up, or as I like to call it,  "getting thicker."   It's his bodies prep for puberty, which I know is just around the corner.  All the signs are here - especially the new underarm aroma.  I have a feeling he'll be taller than me by age 11.

He's developed a keen sense of self expression through oh, so many avenues.   Dance, writing, imaginary friends and games, drawing, and song writing.   He loves Pokémon, his favorite stuffies (especially Mousy), his friends, being with family, hanging out helping kindergarteners at school, being a learner, and all in all being attentive and attuned to everything that is going on around him.  He's kind.  He's thoughtful.  He's beautiful.  He's very sensitive.  He sometimes feels worried and scared of the dark.  He sometimes believes in ghosts and monsters - which are also scary to him.   His imagination is so very active that at times it runs away from him and he freaks himself out.  He has always been a kid with BIG feelings.   Feelings of joy/excitement/anger/compassion/sadness.  You name it, he's felt it - and embodies it so well.    We are working on ways to help him hold on to and manage some of those giant feelings.    

He's smart as a whip, curious about everything and has a preference for non fiction, versus fiction.  He loves poetry and has a way with words.  He's an avid drawer and we find drawings all over the house - detailed pencil sketches of all sorts of creatures with all sorts of powers.  He likes to invent things and spends a lot of time playing invented games with Anders.       

Speaking of Anders, his favorite person in the whole world is still his brother, Anders.   He adores him and their relationship is so important to both of them.  Anders is almost 13, which brings with it a whole new focus on friends and peers, but Anders does a good job of including Kuba in his clan of friends whenever he can.  

He likes everyone at school, but his favorite friends are Sam, Matias, Jasper, Oliver, Gus, and Felix.   These boys have consistently been  self described  as his closest friends.  For his birthday this year we are planning a yoyo party for the whole fourth grade.  It's been hard choosing which kids for a party and we decided to open it up to the whole grade this year, no one gets left out, everyone feels welcome.  Stay tuned for a yoyo party post in the future.

As I wrap this up, I can honestly say that my son Kuba is the greatest teacher I know.  He reminds me daily to be present, to show up, to live big, and to be unequivocally myself.  

He teaches me what love is - in the deepest way possible.    I remain totally smitten as his mom and so deeply admire him.  

I love you!   Happy Birthday KUBA!!!