Recent Updates

I haven't posted in awhile, just been busy. Besides swimming, preschool, both girls in ballet, and my new duties/meetings as room mom, I have had no time to stop and share some thoughts.

Teen D was called down to the office this week. No she didn't get in trouble (this time) but they told her she was being moved to pre-algebra advanced! Yahoo!! She was very excited. Math has always been challenging for her, but in the recent assessment tests she did very well and was moved up :) She is also taking French in school and loving it. Outside of school, she tried out for Nutcracker again and was given two parts. She was excited because one of the of the parts is on Pointe.

Little Man is just a ball of surprises. I have been sitting him on his new big boy potty seat before getting in the tub at night just to get him use to the idea. He started out very anxious and would last a second or two. It started getting a little longer and more comfortable and then low and behold yesterday.....PEE PEE on the potty!!!! It was a total accident but I will take it. Way to go Mr. Moose!!

Goosey is loving school and ballet. She is also doing reading lessons with mommy everyday for 15 to 20 minutes out of my "Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons" book based on the Distar reading method. I taught this program for several years and swear by it's success. Anyways, she is learning and loving it.

Lately she has said some cute things I'll share:

Driving in the car to school, there were several dips in the road. Goose pipes up from the backseat, "Mama we gotta call the man and get this road fixed. I don't like it bumpy. It isn't smooth like sugar's skin." To clarify, "Sugar" is our very good friend Leslie who Goose has called Sugar ever since she could speak. They always put on their bogy lotion when Sugar is in town visiting.

Goose also found a small bracelet that my brother had bought her at the zoo several years ago. She asked, "Mom where did I get this?" I told her Uncle Stevie got it for you." She said, "Awww, he is so sweet. Uncle Steve sure loves me a lot."

At school, they had pictures taken on Tuesday. According to the teacher several kids missed their pictures because they were too scared and crying. Goose told me she was telling them to "Just be brave. It'll be alright. Be brave for the next pictures." and she helped her friend Lauren be brave on her second try :)

NA NA

My little man skipped baby food pretty much altogether. He'll eat his cereal and apple sauce but that is about all I can get in him without him just shaking his head no and refusing my every attempt to feed the boy. He still nurses occasionally, we have started the weaning process. However he LOVES bagels, toast, eggs, macaroni of various kinds and sauces and ALL FRUIT! His favorite being bananas. Last night I was holding his banana while he played. He would stop for a bite and then off he'd go again. On his 3rd or 4th stop, he came toward me saying NA NA and then opened his mouth wide for a bite. It was adorable. Now besides da da, and ball, he can add nana to his reportoire of words he can say when he wants something.

Pizza Social

Last night was the Pizza Social at TCS (Goo's school). It was a very nice event and the kids had fun. Long tables were set up on the black top and labeled by grade. There were tables of salads, pizza , and desserts. The tables were covered with brown paper and cups of crayons were at the table for the children to decorate with. As Goo, Little Man and I were eating our pizza, Goo recognized a little girl who is in her ballet class. The little girl seemed to be looking for someone. Goo asked me what she was doing and I said it looked like she was looking for her friends. Without hesitation, Goo hopped down from her chair, walked over to the girl and said "I'll be your friend!". The little girl, Carly, said, "OK" and they both ran off to the grass area to play with their small soccer balls that the school provided for each kid.

After an hour they called all the families up to the the field and showed the new grass area that was put in over the summer with bleechers and water fountain. They then announced that within the next couple of years they will be adding on a middle school to the campus (I am thrilled!). They then passed out t-shirts to all the kids with their "graduating" year on it (as seen in the picture above). It was very cool. 2017....yikes, sounds so far away but I know it will come far too quickly.

Little man ran around playing with Goo's soccer ball and trying to keep up with the older kids. He received lots of attention from kids, parents and teachers alike.

This school has such a good feel once you walk on campus. The teachers are very friendly and they really seem to get the idea of home-school communication and involvement as the key to student success.

Day #2 at TCS

So day 2 of preschool went much better! She immediately saw the little girl, Lauren, from Tuesday (the one who didn't want her daddy to leave) sitting in the sand by herself. Goo ran up to her and asked if she wanted to play and off they went :) When I went back to pick her up, the teacher said she was great and that her and Lauren were inseparable all day. They were eating lunch together when I arrived.

Goose was also the 1st one to bring back her completed book about herself. One page was about her family, another about her summer vacation, what brings her comfort and what makes her special. It turned out very cute. She picked out the pictures she wanted to use and glued them in herself. Page one contained pictures of her parents, brother and sister, grandparents and Opie the cat. Page 2, displayed different pictures of her playing with friends and in front of the aquarium. She also colored an airplane and had me write that she went with her family in an airplane to NY to visit her cousins and she included and picture of her with Chubba Bubba. page 3, she didn't understand what it meant to bring her comfort, so I explained it was things that made her feel safe and secure. She immediately said, "Wearing my seatbelt". I loved that answer. I never would have thought of that. So a picture was included of her in her new booster seat. She also included pics of strawberry milk (no brainer), snuggling, and reading books before bed. Things that made her special included her being born on Halloween, being a swimmer since 6 months, being a BIG sister, and loving to dance. She did a great job! On Thursday, she was able to share her book during meeting time at school with all the kids in her class. She also brought the snack for the class consisting of mini apple, cinnamon rice cakes and grapes.

Tonight is Back-to-school pizza social. She is very, very excited.

All aboard!

A couple Christmases ago, Aunt Amy bought the kids very cool wooden train whistles. At the time I thought she was very brave (or insane) to get 3 children who were hanging out together in close proximity these whistles that you blow and make the sound of a loud locomotive whistle. Well, two years later, Goo is still enjoying her whistle and plays with it often. Her brother, Little Man, watched her intently and then usually chews on it for awhile when he can get his hands on it.

Tonight, while we were finishing up dinner, Little Man took the whistle placed it in his mouth and began to blow. At first you heard a sort of humming sound coming from him and then low and behold, choo choo here comes the train!! The boy did it and knew he did it and did it again and again and again! It wasn't a fluke. He was so proud of himself, he looked at his dad and me with a huge smile, walked on over and blew it again.

He amazes me each and every day. He is such a fast learner.

My Goo

My Goo woke up happy and excited for her first day of preschool and ballet class. She had to wear her new beautiful dress that grandma and grandpa bought her and asked me at 7:30 am to paint her finger and toe nails so she could "look real cute". How could I say no? So backpack, lunch box and a cute Goo in hand, we headed to school. We took pictures in front of her cubby and with one of her teachers and then I had some time to watch her play before she had to get ready for morning meeting. She was wandering up to girls and saying hello but they didn't respond. She even sat down next to a couple and asked if she could play but they didn't answer. I whispered that they were probably shy and to just start playing too. So she did with a big smile on her face. After a few minutes, a little girl came over with her dad who happened to have been in Goo's summer camp session. She was very shy but played next to Goose and answered questions when Goo asked her things. After another minute or two, the little girl's dad had to leave for work so he told her good-bye. She was a little sad and followed him to the gate. Goose said to me, "but mom I want to play with her." I told her the little girl was sad her dad was leaving, so why didn't she walk me to the gate to say good-bye and then ask the little girl to play. It might make the little girl feel better. Goose said ok. She gave me and little man a kiss at the gate, turned to the little girl who was still trying to say good-bye to her dad and said, "Do you want to go play with me again?" Off the two went to play in the sand as I walked out with her dad. I felt good. Goose had a friend and she was ready to make more. I admire her.

I went back to pick her up at noontime and she was sitting at the table eating her lunch. I walked over and she gave me a big smile and said, "Mama your here!". I got a hug and we started to pack up her lunch box. A little girl at the table showed me a cupcake she was eating and said it was Alex's birthday. "How fun" I said. "Did you eat one Goo?", I asked. Her smile went away and she said, "No I had a tummy ache and don't want one." Now that is weird!

As we left I was asking all kinds of questions about her day and she politely answered but there was no enthusiasm like I expected or had seen after summer camp. Are you ok? I figured she was tired. I asked, "why are you so quiet? Do you feel alright?" She told me she was a little sad because most of the girls already had friends and they wouldn't talk to her. She moped all the way home despite my attempts to explain that they were probably shy and some kids have a hard time on the first day of school. I told her I was sure Thursday would be better and everyday she would make more and more friends.

Inside, my true colors were showing. My inner thoughts were calling those little girls words that 3 & 4 years old should NEVER be called. How dare they snub and ignore my baby!! All she wanted was to talk and play too. Oh NO, I am going to be one of those moms!! I was happy to hear my dad had the same gut reaction. He wanted to go to school and mow them all down for making his Pixie Poo sad :)
I know Thursday will be better though. Noone can resist her charm for long.

Anyways she got home from school and relaxed on the couch for a couple hours (watching Tom and Jerry and sucking her thumb). Once her sister got home from school it was time to get ready for day 1 of ballet school. Her spirits started to rise and she was back to her old self. We headed off to class with hair in bun, pink tights, leotards on and her pink cowboy boots on (ballet shoes in hand). This time little girls were coming up to her as soon as she walked in the room. They were all comparing their leotards and dancng around the room together. The instructor was an older woman and the piano player (well let's just say she may have been doing this gig since B.C.). But the girls had a ball. There were smiles from ear to ear for the entire 45 minutes. I was glad the day ended on a good note with friends a plenty.

The day was busy and the night was short. Goo was exhausted and went to bed at 7:30 instead of 8:00. Although she was told it was 8:00, she fell asleep immediately and didn't wake until 7am the next morning- happy!

Zoo Day

It is Sunday of Labor Day weekend. My parents came over at 8:30 this morning so that we could take the kids to the zoo. Goo was up at 6am wondering if it was time to go yet. No dear, go back to bed for a little while longer. Anyways, I digress. We loaded up in the car with kids, double stroller, water bottles and Goo singing her heart out along with Pink. We arrived as the zoo was opening, however it took 3 adults and 10+ minutes to figure out how to open the double stroller (no it wasn't the first time I have used it). Once through the gates we headed to the right towards the elephants and giraffes (Goo's favorite). Little Man sat in the stroller quietly minding his own business, eating some veggie puffs and not knowing was in store....Until....he spotted the elephants. He was so excited to see these large creatures (one of which was throwing dirt upon himself). He started pointing and laughing and yelling at the elephants. He LOVED it. He had never seen anything but our cat and soem dogs. There was no more relaxing stroller stride. He wanted up and viewing of the animals. It was so fun to watch him see the animals for the first time and really take an interest. We lasted in the 90 degree heat and hills for 2 hours before it was time to go home and have some lunch and rest. We had planned it perfectly, as we were leavign the crowds arriving were insane and the heat was unbearable.

Growing too fast

Yesterday was a big day of growth in this house. Little Man is now 11 months old. I cannot believe it, where has the time gone. I almost have a one year old in the house. No more babies :( However on the upside, my little man has done 2 nights of great sleep. I only had to get up with him twice, once at 1am and then again at 5am. I can get totally get use to that!

Goosey had her "Sneak a Peek" at school. We went to visit her classroom (Room 2) and see her teachers Mare and Carol and their assistant Laetitia. She was excited to see all the kids (there are 25 in her class) and she just cannot believe how many new friends she is going to have. When we walked in, we saw a large picture of Goo on the wall along with her other classmates. The teachers had taken them during the home visit and posted large posters of the kids around the room. It was very cool. Goo showed both teachers her new skill of writing her name all by herself. She is so proud and so am I! We are signed up to bring snack for the class on Thursday. This is a very exciting next stage of motherhood for me. Some may find this very dorky but I think it is so exciting.

School starts for Goo and D on Tuesday. Both will get out at noontime, but Goo gets to go back at 3:15 to start her first ballet class. Tuesday will be a HUGE day around here. I am also looking forward to some one on one time with my little man a few hours a week.

Though they are getting big fast, Goose reminded me the other day that she is still a little girl. I do not remember how the conversation started but I must have said something to her that just wasn't to her liking because she came back at me with, "Mama, I am not 4, or 5 or 6. I am not even 7 or 20. I am only 3 years old and you don't understand. You can't treat me like this. I am just a kid. It's not my fault." Wow!! Now does that sound like a 3 year old? Sometimes I need a rerminder that she is little because the way she talks is of a much older girl.