my long-awaited, long-awinded ode to caleb wheeler:
two months ago, when we were
here, caleb turned six.
he didn't much too much like that his birthday was during our spring break vacation and cited as problemo numero uno that he thusly didn't get to play video games on his special day--which is really all his little six-year-old-boy heart desires.
well, that and possessing the world's largest collection of star wars lego sets. he's had his eye on the
death star for about a year now with a goal to amass the necessary $500 at a rate of $100 per year to finally purchase the prized possession at age ten. we'll see how that goes. all i can say for sure at this point is that he counts his money
a lot.
which is another important thing to know about our caleb. he
loves money. he hoards it. he counts it. he counts it again. he's definitely channeling
uncle scrooge mcduck up in here, and holding cold hard cash in his hot little hands is one of caleb's most favorite things to do ever.
money matters is also a favorite topic of conversation. he wants to know how much money everything costs. he wants to know how much money everyone makes. he wants to know how much money
he can make. he wants to know which career paths tend to yield the highest salaries. but mostly, he wants to know why bryan and i don't have $500 to buy him the death star.
a few more things caleb
loves:
food. not a big sweets man, but if i told you how many sandwiches or pizza slices or crepes or bowls of fruit i've seen this kid pack away, jaws would drop. boy can EAT.
math. caleb's verbal commuication can be a little klunky and off-beat, so it's easy to erroneously dismiss him as perhaps less academically inclined than his more verbose counter parts. until you see the math. boy can MATH. he sees and interprets the world very numerically: from time to measurements to fractions to, you guessed it, money.
games. i know i mentioned video games previously, but caleb loves all kinds of board and card games. what he doesn't love is losing, which can be said of most children and even the adults we know,
amiright?, though rare is the flower who hates it quite as much as caleb does. my unsubstantiated theory is that he plays games with such a huge part of his being that he feels very personally affronted and disparaged when he doesn't win. we're working on playing with just a
titch less emotional investment.
caleb is very judicious in how he spends his mental energy. there are many things he has not yet chosen to master (a lot of them involving his shoes), but here's a quick list of some of caleb's current favorite games in which he can strategize and intuit around decently complicated sets of rules:
castle panic,
love letter,
dragonwood,
cover your assets, and
kingdomino. boy can PLAY.
a few more things caleb
is:
caleb is independent. he's not independent with a little "i," he's independent with a big "I." born believing he has everything he needs to win at life and with a special gumption (which has mothers like me clutching their pearls) that he's going to go out and do it already.
caleb is a
brother. and i know you know what i mean. he's a poker. a prodder. a riler. wherever there is quiet playing or nice sit-stilling, he will surely swoop in to save the day from what might otherwise deteriorate into boring uneventfulness. he loves nothing more than to incite a little bit of chaos. jk! i mean a big bit of chaos.
caleb is a handsome devil. his nickname at home is not "handsome bob" for nothin'.
we love you, bob! you bring an energy and confidence to our family that i just can't imagine us thriving without. happiest of belated birthdays to you, sir!
wishing you blessings of happiness, health, strength, and maybe one day, the death star.
