Apples from William

I've been noticing lately that William is really coming into himself as a person lately.  I'm sure there are different times in our lives where we seem to grow/change, and whether this is one of Will's or not, I'm not sure, but it is fun to watch him and theorize.  :-)

Here are some "apples" he's given me lately:

He came in from school the other day really excited to show me what he learned in math.  He wanted to demonstrate his new knowledge right away and that was pretty thrilling for me.

After my first time taking him and Ryrie to basketball, walking out, he said "I can't wait to get home and play more basketball!"  when we got home he was super motivated to set up a hoop and play with his brothers in the basement.  Later that night, he pointed to the basketball shoes we got from a cousin (signed by Jimmer Fredette!) that we've been saving until someone grew into them, and asked if he could try those on.  He and I were both amazed that they fit!  And he couldn't keep that wonderful smile of his off his face either.

Last Saturday I was in the kitchen doing something and thinking about how I'd have to wrangle one of the boys up to practice piano, when all of a sudden William came into the room and started gathering up his piano books, all the time kind of looking over at me with a goofy smile on his face.  When he actually sat down at the piano and started organizing his books, I exclaimed in shock, "What are you doing William??  Can this be happening?"  He laughed and assured me that it really was happening.  Wow, this is a big step.

Sometimes when Will reads out loud I have noticed that he struggles a bit.  He always seems to clam up when we ask him about it though.  However, the other day, he was reading and he stopped himself and said to me, "It seems like I always have a hard time reading the small words, Mom!"  I found it very sweet that he brought it up himself and didn't seem ashamed.

Will is super sweet with his little brothers.  I love watching him with George especially.  George can be quite demanding sometimes.  The other day W and G were sharing a "warm air" spot  on the vent and George was demanding that Will go and get him something.  He sighed, smiled, and got up to get it for him.  He always laughs at the things George does too.

Last week I brought the boys' journals into their rooms so they could write about the Priesthood Preview we attended at Church and Will got excited as he asked, "Could we keep our journals in our room?  And write in them at night?"  Who would say no to that!  And it was way better than me suggesting it, right?  The follow-up was even better--Will reporting (without me asking) that he wrote in his journal about Christmas because he hadn't done that yet.  We'll get there eventually I think!

Going back to the Priesthood Preview--it was pretty sweet to hear the twins singing "A Young Man Prepared" all week as I helped them memorize it.  They did sing with more gusto at home than at church, but what can you expect, when there were only three of them performing it.  :-)

I had fun reading Tom Sawyer to the twins.  They both seemed to really get the humor and also the scary parts.  For a few days after one or the other would say to the other, "They saw a hand...it was Injun Joe's!"  and grab each other.  Will asked me to put Huckleberry Finn on hold for him at the library--yay!  Another good reading sign.  :-)