Becoming Seven
Puck was crushing it in math that morning. Had to give the kid some credit for learning how to carry to the tens column after one try. His explanation, while lacking in accuracy, was given with great confidence:
“So I multiplicated it.”
Somewhere between loads of laundry and lunch, Puck announced another idea to me:
“I decided to take up a hobby: smiling.”
Doesn’t need much help in that department.
A little while later, I saw him stashing his blue safe behind the oil and vinegar bottles in the kitchen. Explanation followed:
“I don’t want burglars to ‘suspish’ that there’s something behind those bottles, because there’s instructions on how to open it on the bottom of the safe. That’s why I had to hide it. So do you understand?”
And again watching The Magic School Bus: city animals scouting out a graveyard of lopsided tombstones:
“Mom? Why is everyone named RIP?”
Mondays are mostly a blur of chores and quotes from my Puck anyway.
The hit of the afternoon was delivered out of the back of a UPS truck in an Amazon box. Gifted from Relevance, Kitts, and Mini Elvis: crystal dig in a box. Even I didn’t expect the Puck-level of volume or animation resulting from this birthday gift:
“CAN WE DO THIS NOW?!?!”
I let him take some hacks at the plaster block in a beat-up cake pan (to contain the dust) during Quiet Hour. He spent that whole hour whittling it down. Eventually, I heard him acting out stories while he did so:
“Now wait. Before you start a big commotion, I’m just going to say … we shall continue digging.”
Now that Puck’s seven, he’s taken on new roles. Walking into the store for groceries:
“Please, Mom, you don’t have to hold my hand on the parking lot anymore. I’m seven.”
Instead of hopping on the back of the cart as usual, he commandeered it himself the entire way, didn’t ask for a single thing (not even goldfish crackers or pomegranate juice), and loaded and lifted half the groceries at the check-out. He’s becoming a man.
Puck’s Weekly What-do-You-Want-to-be-When-You-Grow-Up Status:
“Scientist. Inventor.”