KampKrug

"This is how you see Orion's belt. You line up the stars with the crack in the box."

Yes, it is, once you can read all on your own! Since Sam started reading in September, it’s been a mix of fun and frustration. He wants to do things perfectly well on his own, instantly. We’ve had several chats about how it takes time, just like taking training wheels off a bike but now he can do just about anything he wants on that bike without even thinking about it. Reading will be the same. But right now, the honest truth is it’s still hard work sometimes. Especially if you’re reading some crazy poems in Flamingos on the Roof! (Thanks brother Steve – that book still makes us smile! “Never climb a rubber ladder…Never kiss a nettle…”) I reflected on my own learning experiences with Sam for a few minutes this morning. I told him I remember how my brain had to work very very hard in grad school to do very complex math problems (“Like numbers in the thousands??? Or millons???” he asked.)

I really remember what it’s like to have a brain work – almost like you can feel it working. I pointed to the book shelves in our living room and said when he’s 15 he’ll be able to pull any book off any shelf and read anything in it. He seemed pretty psyched. So I went over and grabbed Chaucer…and to my dismay the language was all Olde English. Basically indecipherable. I had to pull Dave in to the conversation, and even he had to think for a few minutes before reading it! Nice…That said, Sam can read at the second grade level, so he is quite good when he puts his mind to it. He’ll probably be a fast reader like his dad!

Sweet image of Sam…last night before bath he was sitting on the “workbench” (our coffee table), ukulele in hand, head cocked, finger picking, and just listening intently, studying really, an Allmann Brothers album that was playing on the stereo. He has started singing lately, too, and not in a goofy, self-conscious way. He has actually been holding a tune and singing words to songs with some confidence. I was really quite amazed since I can’t sing at all. He clearly gets all his best traits from his Daddy. What he gets from mommy is a love of adventure The other day he thanked me for taking him on a bike/run (Sam biking, me running with Ben in the stroller) around the inside of an old crater followed by Sea Life Park. He actually climbed up into his seat in the truck, cracker in hand, and thanked me specifically for his nice day, and for always taking him on new adventures. Wow. He really humbles me sometimes!