So... I know that Riley's abilities and comfort level in French have increased exponentially when he starts correcting my pronunciation.  Yes, he is not at all slow these days to say "Mo-ommmm. [insert his accompanying eye-roll here] That's not the right word. It's (this)."  "Isn't that what I just said?"  "No, you said (that)."  "Really? That's what I said?"  And then Lloyd saves a bit of my dignity by telling me what I said was kind of a blend of those two words... "Huh," says I.  "Interesting."

To be clear, I am thrilled when he corrects me, because part of the persuasion process during September when he was reluctant to keep going to school, was that he would be able to help teach me some French.  He had a bit of a difficult time of it, adapting to French school.  He did fabulously well, but still, it was tough to be put into a classroom where all your companions speak another language, and you have to keep up.  He is still doing fabulously well, and I am so proud of him.  I struggle at times with how to help him keep his emotions balanced.  He is a creature of such lows and highs, and they change from situation to situation.  As Lloyd says, he is such a creature of the moment.  What he feels right then, he shares loudly with the world!  If he thinks that he maybe doesn't want to go to school for whatever reason, he just does not want to go.  And he protests, and tries to convince us that he can stay home.  Then, when we are on the path up to the school, and he sees one of his friends, he becomes instantly happy and silly in that moment because he knows, with proof, now, that he will see at least one friend at school.  We can tell him until we are blue in the face that there will be friends at school, but until he sees it for himself, he remains skeptical.

He also, when planning for something, seems to envision very specific scenarios in which x, y, and z will happen, and then responses a,b, and c will come from persons 1, 2, and 3.  He sees this with such clarity, I think, that he is utterly devastated when it does not unfold according to his imaginings.  And because he NEVER shares his visions ahead of time (even when we ask!), we can't do anything about it.  He ignores our discussions on what is likely to happen in favour of his technicolour dreams.  I am unsure what to do, other than empathize with him.  But his emotional responses are sometimes so over the top that they are socially inappropriate.  *sigh*  I am emphasising the words CONTROL and APPROPRIATE right now, still, again...  These words are always used in my house.  (It was kind of cute when the girl, in days gone by, started to reprimand her older brothers with "That is not 'popiate 'havior, boys!")

And Riley is now practically reading!!  He is so proud to read a book to me, out of earshot of big brother, and he works very hard to sound out the new words.  His penmanship is very nice, too, and he is working so diligently on reading and writing that it's all I can do not to kiss him all over!  But, that would lead to a major episode, because he does not like kisses.  At all.  From anybody!  In fact, this is a bit of a running joke in his classroom.  The girls like to chase him to try to kiss him, because he is so over the top and emphatic in his dislike of such affection.  And his teacher thinks it is hilarious!  She gave him a kiss on the cheek when he was giving her a goodbye/Christmas hug, and he was so outlandish in his rejection of the kiss, that it was hysterical!!   He wiped it off, and threw it back at her, and almost roared with displeasure, all the while with a twinkle in his eye, and his dimple peeking out from him trying NOT to smile.  She laughed and laughed, and was still chuckling at him a while later. 

 My Riley is a piece of work, but he is never, ever boring.  And I love him to bits.