Luke at Five

Luke at five is a complicated, constantly moving emotional whirlwind. He's kind of like the menopausal women I have known, without the hot flashes. And he's growing up way too fast.

Luke at five is like a mini-teenager. He talks back. He tells us to do something, and then says, "Got it?" He orders his friends around mercilessly. He picks up funny expressions and then comes out with them at just the right (or the wrong) time. Yesterday I was happy about something Tina had done and I told him "Your mama is great." He said, "Mama's a rock star." He tells us, "If I can't have my treat, I'm not going to bed."

Luke at five has already learned how to play hooky. He is a frequent visitor to the school nurse, who has finally (in February), learned to send him back to class. Last time she called I went and picked him up at school. I got him home, where he promptly stripped off his school clothes, put on pajamas, and said "Set up the DVD for me and get me a snack, okay?" This morning after climbing in bed with me he told me, "I can't go to school today because I'm sick. I have Bippitty ippity op."

Luke at five needs a ton of support for his emotions. He is very moody and can change on a dime. He gets frightened easily and still climbs on my lap during the scary or sad parts of movies. Every time he hears me tell Teo he's cute or that I love him, he needs me to reassure him that he's also cute and also loved. If five great things happened and one minor bad thing happened, he says he had a bad day.

Luke at five could talk a leprechan out of his gold. He is constantly negotiating, explaining, questioning, talking, talking, talking. It wears me and Tina out. He will try to carry on a full conversation with me while I'm trying to brush his teeth.

Luke at five has many, many friends who he hangs out with a lot of the time. Max is here every day after school until 5:30 or 6:00. Carlos & Nando come over every Tuesday afternoon after school until about 5:00, too. Luke and Max go to Carlos & Nando's house every Thursday afternoon. Today Paul came over to play. At school his teacher says he gets along with everyone equally well. They either play "real" or "pretend." From what I can tell, real is when they act out scenarios using their own bodies, so that they physically are the embodiment of the Power Rangers or Batman or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Pretend is when they have an action figure or toy insect and they act out scenarios with the toys. Most often they use Max's vast collection of plastic insects and act out insect lives. Max will be spouting off a long litany of insect facts about dung beetles or Luna moths or praying mantises. Luke at five knows more than he wants to about bugs.

Luke at five is growing up way too fast.