Nathanny-man, you begin preschool tomorrow morning. You’ve been awaiting this day for two long years… that’s most of your life, Bub. “Peesool” is your holy grail and you will finally obtain it!
Your siblings began preschool just prior to you turning 18 months old. You loved exploring the water table at Wee Disciples. When I brought you to school with me when I volunteered at class parties, you snuck over to the painting easel and gleefully smeared paint all over other kids’ paintings, the easel, the wall, and just a tiny bit on yourself. I moved you no less than 6 times and you went straight back to that easel.
As a 1 year old, a VERY friendly and happy 1 year old, you were thrilled to be at preschool every chance you could get! The other little brothers and one little sister joined you as you moved about the classroom, finding all of the best toys. As a 2 year old, you felt like a big kid and demanded to sit in a chair at the table for snack time at parties. You were a preschooler, you were just sure of it!
And then you turned 3. You morphed from a VERY friendly and happy toddler to an even friendlier and more emotive little boy. And you expanded your emotion arsenal. You are often smiling sweetly, but you also have opinions. STRONG opinions. You stopped throwing yourself to the floor because you are smart and doing that hurts. Now you sit down and huffily cross both of your arms and look anywhere but at the person who has ruined your plans. You don’t want to walk across the grass? You sit and pout. You don’t want to go to Quiet Time in your room? You sit and pout. Recently, you have added a special code word to further express your dissatisfaction with any choice beside your own obviously superior choice: “WHHHHHHYYYYYYYY?” Oh, the many Why’s of your day. None of our decisions make sense to you… you are NOT tired, you are NOT all done watching a show, you do NOT need to clean up your toys because you will need them out again tomorrow.
(I shouldn’t tell you this, but if I get you giggling, you snap out of it pretty quickly and are back on board, chatting away and going through life with the easy confidence of someone who has “dood ideas.” Someone like you. I often wonder if you are manipulating me… this “I won’t stop pouting until you crack me up and snap me out of it” thing or if I am redirecting you. Hmm, I shouldn’t reveal this either, but “redirecting” is just a codeword for manipulation performed by parents. So we’re both pretty sneaky, aren’t we?)
Now that you are almost 3 and a half, you are practically stampeding your way to “peesool.” You’ve been ready for 2 years and we are the insensitive jerks who are standing in your way due to some red tape about your age and when it aligns with the start of the academic year. Your social skills are excellent (although you rely on your ability to persuade others with cuteness and flattery more than I’d prefer… mostly because it totally works for you!), your academic skills are excellent, and you can build pretty much anything out of Lego blocks intended for kids who are 5+. You can follow the directions that come with Legos or you can imagine something and produce it on your own! You are so smart and so kind-hearted and so stubbornly committed to all of your “dood ideas.”
I used to worry that it would be difficult to launch you, Nathaniel. You are my baby, despite your intense protests that you are NOT a beebee, you are a bid boy! How would I feel about sending you to preschool, your first launch from our nest? And my last first launch of one of my children? You are fun and delightful and I thought maybe I’d hesitate to send you off.
You nipped that in the bud this summer. You are SO ready… you are beyond ready. You need far more stimulation and excitement and adventure than I can give you here at home. You have proven that to me and I am ready to begin the launching countdown! You loved our Mommy/Thanny dates while your siblings were at preschool these last 2 years, and you especially love our “Mommy/Sanny Day dates!” this past week while your siblings were at all-day kindergarten! But we’ll still have those. And you NEED preschool. You need the structure and the opportunity. And they need you, Stink-a-bub. They need your smiles, your “dood ideas,” your brightness, your kindness. It would be a disservice to you AND to the world to prolong the inevitable. You need to be among the masses, charming them and plotting to rule them. You already have the plans… you just need the right audience!
We love you so much. We can’t keep you to ourselves; we must share you because people need your brand of excitement. They need to experience your overwhelmingly pouncy snuggles when you feel a surge of love that just cannot be contained any longer. They need to learn how to share as well as you do. They need to learn conflict management and how to stand up to your big ideas of why that toy belongs in your hands alone. 🙂 And you need to learn to compromise with same-aged peers. You know how to compromise with Zach and Rissa, but I fear that is largely based on “well, they are bigger than me, so I’ll cave… for NOW.”
You are a lightning bolt of light, bouncing images of Jesus all around you. It is impossible to ignore His presence around you. Your passion, your heart, your comforting nature, your sense of justice, your creativity. You are SO excited that “Deesus died on the twoss, and den He tummed awive ah-den!!!!” People love you the moment they meet you and you so captivate our hearts that we can’t help but enjoy you. You wield a powerful weapon with that smile and we need the help of wonderful, godly preschool teachers as we train you to use your awesomeness for good.
So we’re launching you, trusting God with you, trusting your teachers with you. Just like we did with your siblings two years ago. They grew by leaps and bounds in preschool and had an amazing experience. They also provided an amazing experience for those around them – their lights for Jesus shine brightly too. You are our Bub, and we are pleased to share you. The world needs more of you. More beauty, more delight, more careful thought and risky enactment. We’re so grateful to belong to you and that you belong to us, Sweetheart.
Make your mark, Nathaniel Malcolm. You are named for St. Columbo, a charismatic leader who began with battle until God transformed him into a man of peace. I see that already coming into place in your life.
Be kind. Be brave. Be you!
