My mom asked me to write a brief summary about each of my kids for her blog. I am not sure if this is what she had in mind. Maybe it wasn't brief enough, but it is hard to sum up 13 years in a couple sentences. And if I write several sentences about one child, I better write equal amounts about the others. So I thought I would include it here on my blog and besides it is not often that I sum up their lives in a single paragraph. I love each of them dearly and I am proud of each of their accomplishments.
Eric has always been very alert and he has a strong moral compass. When he was only 2, he would become upset when he saw people boating on Sunday and not keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. When he was 3 or 4, he would make comments if he didn't see people keeping the door open for others. Even at 2, Eric was well aware of the stories on the news and would ask about them. Terri had to stop watching the news when he was around. Eric excels in school and loves to read, play video games, ride his skateboard, and hang out with his friends, and parents. He has loved living near the beach in Florida, Guam, Hawaii, and Monterey. He loves swimming, boogie boarding, and surfing. Eric always comes home and sits down to do his homework immediately even if it isn't due for a month. He is well liked by all his teachers, but it wasn't always that way. Terri often got calls from his preschool teacher because he would bite, hit, or pinch other kids. He has been playing the piano for 6 years , but doesn't enjoy it. He has played soccer, baseball, basketball, flag football, ran track, and now is starting to wrestle. He is currently serving as Deacon Quorum President and working towards his Eagle. He is a terrific big brother.
Erin was a wonderful baby. She never complained about going to bed. In fact, she often put herself to bed as a toddler. She sucked her thumb until she turned 5 and started kindergarten. We had the dentist put a wire in her mouth to prevent her from sucking anymore. She was rewarded with a new Gameboy for it. Erin is a wonderful student and loves to please her teachers and parents. She loves to read and always gets straight A's like Eric. She will do extra credit even if she has an A+ in a class. Erin attended 5 different schools for elementary school due to frequent military moves. Erin has been taking piano lessons for 6 years and although she complains about practicing, she plays very well. She is a hard worker and was recently rewarded for her hard work in math. She was able to advance to 7th grade math when she proved to her teacher that she has already mastered all the 6th grade skills. Erin often asks what else she can help with around the house. Erin is very attached to Nathan and she loves horses and begs for her own. She collects American Girl Dolls and toy horses. She loves to run but she has also played soccer and basketball. She is the most competitive Perez kid.
Nathan is a great, fun kid. He loves Winnie the Pooh and sleeps with him every night. Nathan is very affectionate and loves to make people laugh. His kindergarten teacher recalled a time when Nathan walked out of the bathroom and the kids were all sitting very quietly on the rug listening to the teacher read a story. Nathan snuck around the corner and made a large roaring sound. The whole class laughed including the teacher because up to that day, Nathan had always been so quiet in class. Nathan didn't enjoy reading until first grade, but now loves to read. He is a great speller and even won the Kindergarten Spelling Bee. Nathan is also a whiz at math. He can do math in his head very fast and accurately. Nathan worries about his twin Zachary because Zachary is much more daring than he is. He loves Legos and he is very creative with them. He loves to build his own as well as put together the Lego sets. Nathan would eat macaroni and cheese everyday if we would let him. He also loves junk food like his mom. Nathan says he wants to be a cowboy when he grows up so he can have horses for Erin to ride.
Zachary is very coordinated. He is just now (he's turning 7) starting to get competitive in sports. Like Nathan, he has played soccer, basketball, and flag football. Zachary loves to read and is excited about reading chapter books. His first grade teacher describes Zach as the model student. He is smart, obedient, and helps those around him that are struggling in class. He is compassionate and will try to comfort anyone that is sad. Whenever Nathan is sad or hurt, Zach will run up to his room and grab a pillow, blanket, and Pooh Bear to help comfort Nathan. He is a hard worker and does lots of work around the house. He will often finish dinner early and get up and start the dishes for Eric and Erin. He loves to do service for the whole family. Zachary is very attached to his mom (Terri.) He loves to sleep with her when his dad is out of town. He is usually the first one up in the morning and loves the alone time with his mom. Zachary often surprises Terri with breakfast that he has made. He loves long walks on the beach with Grandma (Lynn). He loves to ride his bike and skateboard. He also likes to run on the treadmill and play outside. Zachary loves the family dog, Buzz, and wants to be a veterinarian when he grows up. He doesn't like cats though so he only wants to treat dogs in his clinic.
