Huck

Update on Huck and school- he has walked himself into class all week with no tears!  He looks forward to going to school and is talking more about what he does during the day.  His teacher, Miss Bridget, says he likes to stay near to her and often reaches up to hold her hand.  Miss Eunice commented that he is quiet but when he speaks he speaks well.  That is great to hear since I was so concerned about his speech just 6 months ago.  He insists on wearing his backpack into the classroom instead of hanging it up on his hook, but his teachers seem to be okay with that.  I hear him singing songs and saying little rhymes that he must have learned at school.  He can count to 10- sometimes- and even counted out 10 blocks the other day.  He is working on colors and gets most of them right most of the time.  Yay!  So glad he is enjoying it. 

Some cute things he has said lately:

"Me no go to school, me go play golf."

"Don't worry, Mom.  Me big boy now."

"I know, yight?"  Pretty sure he learned this one from big sis...

And to answer any question he doesn't know the answer to...  "dum dum dah dah!"

School

Back to School!  To be honest, I really wasn't quite ready for school to start again this year.  I did not reach the point of fatigue of having my kiddos around all the time.  I enjoyed to slower starts to the morning, not having to make school lunches, the freedom to decide to just pick up and go swimming, not having a deadline to have to have the laundry done by...  But I was ready to go to the grocery store without 3 kids in tow.  And the bickering started to increase the last week or so.  Regardless, August 26th arrived and the big kids were back again.

Bubba is in 3rd grade this year.  His teacher in Miss Looney.  She is a first year teacher but seems very organized and eager.  She has some creative ideas and the kids like her.  She says she has a really sweet group of kids.  I believe right now he has 19 or 20 kids in his class.  2 or 3 kids had to move to another school because there is not enough room for their younger siblings in 1st grade.  He already has 1200 minutes of reading in the first 3 weeks, thanks to the Percy Jackson series.  To put that into perspective, the school strives for each kid to have at least 600 minutes in 6 weeks.  He finished all 5 Percy Jackson books since school started.  Now we need to find another series as he really prefers to read a series of books as opposed to a single novel.  He has several of The Guardians of Ga'Hoole books so I think we will try those. I am room mom for his class again.

 

 

 He is doing ballet again and they started several weeks ago.  It is getting serious!  Last week they started learning to do pirouettes!  And they stretch with their legs up on the barre!  He has said the girls are less silly and don't goof around with him as much, which is a good thing. 

Duchess started 1st grade.  Her teacher is Mrs. Edwards and she has been teaching at Wallace for 15 years.  She really seems like she wants to meet the individual needs of each student to the best of her ability.  Duchess's class started out with 27 students!  I think they are down to 25 now and supposedly will get down to the state mandated 22.  Apparently there are tons of first graders in the Lake Highlands areas and all of the area first grades are full!  One school added an entire section of first grade and that is still not enough room.  These "overflow" students are having to go to other elementary schools in the district and the older siblings are going with them.  They are deciding who stays and who goes based on when the enrollment forms were turned in, so we are safe!  She insists that she does not have homework- that the packet of papers she brings home which are to be completed at home and returned to school is not homework.  It is just papers to do at home and take back.  Not sure why she is so resistant to calling it "homework"... 

Ballet is also going well for her.  She gets to use the barre for the first time this year, which is Very Exciting. 

Huck started Mother's Day Out at a little church just down the road.  I was not able to take him his first day because I had a meeting at work.  Daddy took him the first day.  He dutifully took lots of pictures for me.  It started out okay as you can see...

 

 

 

 

 

 

All smiles, even when he went into the classroom... 

Until he realized Daddy was leaving and he was staying...

Then the pout came out.  Then the tears. Then an escape attempt...  But his teacher reported that he calmed down and was mostly happy during the day.  His teachers are Miss Bridget and Miss Eunice.  He is going 3 days a week, Tues, Wed and Thurs, from 9-2:30.  They have rest time from 12-2 and Huck has actually slept.  He does not like being dropped off AT ALL.  He starts saying "Me no want to go school" or "No like school" or "Mommy stay with me" in a very sad voice.  I dropped him off yesterday and it was a little bit better.  We sang a Going to School song all the way there, singing about the fun things he would do at school and I think it may have helped.  He says he likes school when he is at home.  He is able to talk about what he did that day and proudly shows off his art work.  So we'll stick with it and see how he adjusts.

You would think that I have been very productive with all this "free time" without kids, but not so much...  I'll get there, too, I'm sure.  Right now I am enjoying even slower mornings after drop offs are complete!




Six

Yowza!  Is it six or sixteen?  Sometimes I wonder...  First, let's hear from the girl herself.

Duchess, at what age do you think a person is a grown-up? 
probably, ummm, 21 and older

If you could be invisible for one day, what would you do? 
That's not real.  Well, I would scare Huck by sneaking up on him and screaming Boo!

What is something that makes our family special?
 That there are 5 people?  Or that there are 2 girls and 3 boys? 

Are you a good friend? and why?
 Sure, Because I let people play with me.  And I gave P something.

How would the world be different if animals could talk?
It would be funny, very funny.  What do you think they would have to say? Lions would say "I'm going to eat you."  Giraffes would say "My neck is long." 

What is the best thing about being a kid?
You don't die when you are a kid.

What is the worst thing? 
I don't know.  I fight with my brothers.

What is your favorite place in the world? 
The Beach! and the pool

If you could give one gift to every kid in the world, what would it be? 
Shoes.

Tell me 5 words that you would use to describe yourself. 
brown hair, kinda short hair, brown eyes, tan skin, don't wear earrings.  Those describe how you look.  What about words to describe your personality?  when I meet someone new I am shy, I can not do the monkey bars, kind, I like flowers, I like kites?  (clearly she doesn't quite get this concept yet...)

If you could invent something, what would it be?
a time machine!  What would you do with it? I would use it to go to William and Dillon's house again or to the beach again.

 

What is your favorite:
color: turquoise
food: soup
song: Happy Birthday
book: Princess books
activity: crafts
toy: Polly Pocket
subject at school: recess  What real subject?  Science
friend: Peyton and Vivian
animal: zebras and giraffes
TV show: Sofia and Doc
movie: Cinderella

 

What does Dad like to do? 
sleep and eat chocolate cake

What does Mom like to do?
play Candy Crush

What makes you special? 
I'm nice

What is one thing you would most like to do? 
Go to the pool

What would you like to write a book about? 
 Princess

Describe what you look like. 
See above

What are you looking forward to this year? 
 Buddy Fun Day

What did you accomplished as a 5 year-old? 
I learned that some rocks can float, (interview interrupted by Huck dragging her out of the room to help build a tent...)  I learned that you can't mix red, yellow and blue.  And I lost her to the playroom!


Duchess, my Duchess.  What a great kid you are.  I really do enjoy spending time with you, especially when we get a chance to do it one-on-one.  This has been a great year for you.  Kindergarten was fun and you learned a lot.  You made some good friends and spent time on play dates at friend's houses.  You learned to read even though sometimes you forget that you can read as well as you can!  School work was not tough for you and you always had good behavior in school.  You enjoyed art and had a piece of art displayed in a district wide art show!  You enjoy doing crafts but get frustrated when it doesn't turn out the way you'd like. 

You are a great big sister and spend lots of time playing with Huck.  He loves to play with you even if it means he has to dress up in princess dresses.  The two of you will disappear into your bedroom and not be heard from for quite some time.  You and your big brother are spending more time fighting these days... but still like to watch TV and play video games together.  For your birthday you got an American Girl doll and have had lots of fun with it.  You love to have matching outfits with her :-) 

 

At times you can be a bit dramatic and can have a very shrill screech that I understand is quite common among your peers.  There is never any doubt as to how you are feeling. 

You continued with ballet this year and did quite well.  You were not a bit nervous for your recital and you did wonderfully.  You started learning to ride a bike without training wheels and are close to mastering that.  We just need it to cool down a bit so that you can get more practice time in!  Your swimming is much improved and by the end of the summer you had braved the slide at a friend's pool- and loved it!

You got to celebrate your birthday 4 times this summer!  First in your class at school, second we opened your family presents at home before we left for the beach, 3rd at the beach with the extended family, and 4th with your friends at the American Girl doll store! 

I am looking forward to seeing what this year brings!  Look out First Grade!

*note- for some reason Blogger has decided not to let me put any more pictures up...  Maybe Sunday afternoon is not the best time to attempt as the server is probably busy.  We'll go swimming instead of me fighting with it.  I'll put up more pictures soon. 

Eight

I probably say something similar every year... but I can't believe that I have an eight year-old!  Eight just seems soo old!  And I definitely see him growing!  Physically he is tall, more coordinated and he wanted to let his hair grow long this year.  He weighs about 60 pounds and is about 4 ft 4 inches tall, which is 2 1/2 inches taller than last year. Once summer hit he wanted to cut his hair short so it didn't get in his eyes when swimming. This year he has mastered riding his big bike and rides up and down the sidewalk outside our house.   He likes to ride his bike or scooter to school and got a bike lock so he could leave it on the bike rack during school. 
His interests are changing as well.  He is less into toys and more into electronics...  He likes to play Skylanders on the Wii, Minecraft on the Kindle Fire and watch Minecraft videos on YouTube.  Even Legos are not as interesting as before, although he does still play with them.  He still gets his brother and sister involved in imaginary play, although it is less and less often. 
 He is reading very well, about a 4th grade level according to his testing at school.  He loves it too, which I love.  We are on the 5th Harry Potter book and he recently told me he didn't like it as much s the first ones because it seems "meaner."  And it is much darker, so I get it.  We have slowed way down on reading it because he is not as invested.  He has started the Guardians od GaHoole series and he got the Percy Jackson series for his birthday.   He got all 4s (As) on his final report card.  He doesn't have to work too hard at math but definitely needs to practice his spelling words.
He has been spending lots more time with friends this year.  He has been invited over to play at friends houses a lot and they do fun things like swimming, archery, bike riding and, of course, playing Skylanders.  He had his first real argument with a friend that lasted for several days.
If he had his way he would probably spend his summer days either swimming or playing Minecraft.  His swimming is coming along brilliantly.  He has the basics of a forward crawl, beginning to get the breast stroke and back stroke.  He can do a great back float, handstands under water and a somersault.  He likes to go in the deep, deep end at the pool to challenge himself. 

swimming at The J

He was not very excited to do his interview this year.  He could barely pry himself away from the Kindle long enough to speak to me...

Spring Break in Austin

Bubba, at what age do you think a person is a grown-up? 
28

If you could be invisible for one day, what would you do? 
Invincible?  Oh, invisible.  Sneak up on Dutch and scare her

What is something that makes our family special? 
 I don't know, do I have to do this? 

Are you a good friend? and why?
 Yes, because I am nice and funny

How would the world be different if animals could talk?
I would get a per hamster and talk to him every day

What is the best thing about being a kid?
I don't have to work all day and I don't have to go to school in the summer

What is the worst thing? 
I have to get everything foe everyone, like Dr. Pepper for Dad every night

What is your favorite place in the world? 
Gulf Shores

If you could give one gift to every kid in the world, what would it be? 
Skylanders

Tell me 5 words that you would use to describe yourself. 
funny, awesome, cool, nice and awesome

If you could invent something, what would it be?
I would invent the Mansion Machine, once you start it, it turns your house into a mansion as big as 5 backyards.

What is your favorite:
color: green
food: pizza
song: Digging Minecraft Style
book: Harry Potter
activity: riding my bike
toy: Skylanders
subject at school: recess
friend: Dylan
animal: cheetah
TV show: Phineas and Ferb
movie: Harry Potter

What does Dad like to do? 
sleep

What does Mom like to do?  
 play Candy Crush

What makes you special? 
That I am awesome. (Be more specific, please) I am the only boy in my ballet class.  That I am an awesome reader.

What is one thing you would most like to do? 
Hike Mt Everest

What would you like to write a book about? 
 Minecraft

Describe what you look like. 
brown eyes, brown hair, tall, awesome reader

What are you looking forward to this summer? 
 going to Alabama Beach

What did you accomplished as a 7 year-old? 
riding my big bike, reading 4 1/2 Harry Potter books, getting straight A's on my report card, being in my first ballet recital,


And a random sampling of pictures I like...

Ballet

Harry Potter for Halloween

Gulf Shores 2012



Thanksgiving 2012 in Evansville

 



Achievements

The past month has been so full of achievements for this family!  To begin we had ballet recitals.

 Both of our dancers did a wonderful job.  I was so proud of them both.  Duchess did great- she had a beautiful smile on her face and followed along with her teacher and barely missed a move.

 Bubba did wonderful as well.  He had a short solo in the beginning and had partnering moves with each girl in the class.  Miss Amanda even recognized him to whole audience after the recital was complete.  He was very proud of himself for overcoming his fear!  He told me he said a prayer before dancing to help him be brave- love him!

I got to take a trip without kids!  I went to New York state for my brother's Change of Command ceremony as he took command of a Marine Reserve unit.  It was very impressive.  I have never seen a military ceremony with all the Marine on line and such. 

I got to sit in the cockpit- wow there are a lot of buttons, switches and dials up there!  Be impressed by anyone you know who can fly a plane.

 He has his name on a plane and everything :-)

Mike's family was there and my mother and other two brothers.  Mom and I got to spend some girl time together..  There was an outlet mall near by that was very nice and mother kindly bought me some new summer clothes.  We also got to eat Friendly's ice cream!  LOVE that Reece's Peanut Butter Sundae, takes me back to my childhood... 

 We watched William and Dillon one night while Mike and Sara were at a reception and Scott and I took them swimming. 

 

I almost didn't get home in time for Bubba's birthday...  My flight out of New York was cancelled because of weather.  Mom was driving to see my Aunt Pat outside of Hartford the same night I was leaving, so I was able to get my flight changed to leave from Hartford.  We jumped in the car, drove the 1 1/2 hours to Hartford, I jumped on a plane and got back to Dallas at about 1 AM.  Sooooo worth it in the morning when Bubba came in and woke me up and said "I knew you would make it home in time for my birthday, Mom!"  in the sweetest voice ever. 

This was the first time Bubba's real birthday fell during the school year so we had to make it special.  We all went up to school and ate lunch on the stage.  A teacher had the whole cafeteria sing Happy Birthday to him!

Later  I took cupcakes to his class and they sang again!

And of course we celebrated at home.  His choice for dinner?  Shrimp tacos.  A birthday post will come.

Since Duch's birthday is in the summer we did cupcakes for her the last week as well. 

A big achievement is finishing school!  Duchess loved Kindergarten and is looking forward to 1st grade.  How is it possible that Bubba is going into 3rd grade???  I have the summer to get used to it, I guess. 

Bubba started out the summer with Cub Scout Twilight Camp.  I went one evening and it was very pleasant weather.  It was fun to see how far he has come since last year as far as his skills.  He is quite the archer, if I must say so myself!



We have spent much of the first weeks of summer in the water.  We have played at home in a kiddie pool, a slip and slide, and water fights.  We have been to the Splash Park a few times as well.  Bubba has been swimming at a friends house 3 or 4 times.  We have been swimming at Miss Linda's pool and with friends at the KC pool.  The big kids started swimming lessons last week and are doing great.  Bubba is doing a petty good forward crawl and learning the breast stroke.  He can do handstands and is working on somersaults.  Duch is getting closer to a forward crawl and is jumping off the side, putting her face in the water and learning the breaststroke and to tread water.  Huck is the big surprise.  In his life jacket he is swimming on his own, with me right there of course.  He floats by himself and makes doggy paddle-type motions saying "kick, kick, kick, scoop, scoop, scoop."  He tries to swim for toys and jumps off the side from a sitting position. 
We are still on the waiting list for the KC pool.  After 4 years we were #401 this Spring...  Maybe nest year.  In the mean time we joined the J (Jewish Community Center.)  They have a nice outdoor pool and an indoor warm water pool as well.  The outdoor kiddie pool is pretty small, but the indoor pool has a nice beach entry kiddie area that Huck loves.   So far it sees like a pretty diverse crowd there.  Tons of summer campers during the week days which makes the water crowded.  On the way home the other day Bubba said, "Mom, the J is just fine.  Let's not worry about joining the KC at all."  Until I reminded him that many of his friends go the KC, then he backpedaled a little bit.  But I am glad they are enjoying it so much. 

Wiped out after an afternoon of swimming



Homemade water slide

 

 

So there you have it.  Pretty much sums up the last month of so!  Fun start to the summer.