Week 4

Our little girl has gone and turned six.  How is it even possible?  I can remember the day (and weeks leading to) she was born like it was yesterday.  She is growing so quickly.  Today alone, she discovered three wiggly teeth.

Punky is a friendly, sensitive, sweet, silly and smart little girl.  She seems to make friends wherever we go and enjoys playing with all of the kids in her classroom.  I worry about her sensitivity because I know how difficult the middle school years are going to be.  Punky is a sweetheart and always includes her little brother.  I am so thankful that they are friends.  She also can be very silly and goofy, especially when with her brother or friends.  And of course, she is smart.  But what mom isn't going to say that about their little girl?

Happy Birthday Punky!  We love you to pieces!

Week 3

One of my favorite things on weekday mornings is the first half hour after the kids wake up.  Fortunately, Punky's school bus doesn't come until 9:10, so we are able to take our time getting ready in the mornings.  I don't work until 11 or 11:30 and that is only two days a week (once every two weeks I need to be there at 9:30).   The three of us are slow to wake up and we ease ourselves into the morning on our various devices.  When Punky wakes up, she heads to our room.  (Buddy is already there sometime during the middle of the night.)  She unplugs my phone and her kindle from the wall and we spend the next half hour playing games (or checking facebook and blogs).  I feel so fortunate to get to spend this time with the kids, even if we are tuned in to technology.  It's still bonding, right?!?

Week 2

For Christmas, we gave the kids gift cards to Build-A-Bear Workshop and promised them a fun day at the Mall of America.  We let them choose which restaurant to go to for lunch (McDonalds) and then we visited Sea Life Aquarium.

She is definitely her father's daughter- she had to read every single sign!

At Build-A-Bear, Buddy chose a saber tooth tiger which he named Stripe.  And Punky chose a panda bear which she named Rainbow.  They each wanted to add a sound button in their animals too.  Punky chose a monkey sound for the panda- ???  Whatever, I guess it's her's!

We browsed the Disney Store and the Lego Store and let the kids each chose a ride at Nickelodean Universe.  Buddy chose the ghost ride which is completely in the dark.  I thought he was going to be too scared, but he was more interested in shooting things to even notice.  Punky chose a real roller coaster.  This was her first time and she loved it!  It was a fun day and we timed our trip right- the crowds were getting to be too big by the time we left!

Week 1

I'm back.  I seemed to have quit blogging for the last few months.  It felt good at the time but I realized I was not happy about not having a place to record special memories.  I am ashamed to say I hardly picked up my real camera in November and most of December.  So, here I am, back in blogland.  Hoping to pop on each Sunday night with a quick photo of two capturing something special (or not) we did that week.  Words may be at a minimum because that is the hardest part of blogging for me.  Hopefully I still have a reader or two (Grandmas and Grandpas, I suppose).

On New Year's Day, we took the kids ice skating.  We attempted to go ice skating last year, and it didn't work out.  This year, though, was a blast.  Punky had so much fun that she was in tears the whole way home.  She loved it so much, she didn't want it to end.  She picked it up quickly and was skating on her own after an hour.  Buddy enjoyed skating, as well.  He was fearless!  He had the most fun when we let him take his skates off and run around the rink in his shoes (like our neighbor boy was doing).  Punky has been asking when we are going to go back.  Maybe we'll have to get them in lessons.  Hockey, no.  Ice skating lessons, sure.

Nature School

Hey all, sorry for the blog absence lately.  I just haven't been feeling it lately.  We've been getting into a new groove with the school year and things are going fine.  I'm just in a blogging slump, I guess.  And I feel like my photography sucks right now too.  Not sure what is going on.  I blame it partly on the iPhone and part on my minor league skills.  I guess we'll see what happens in the next few months with the old blog.

Last week, Buddy attended his first day of Nature School!  It was the most awesome day for our little guy and just the perfect class for our boy.

I became a little burned out of preschool at the end of last year.  Punky had been attending for 2.5 years and I felt she was smarter than what they were doing in class.  Therefore, we had decided last year to wait to put Buddy in preschool.  He'll be 6 when he starts kindergarten and I think one year of preschool is enough.

As a compromise, we put Buddy into a weekly class at our local Nature Center.  Each week is a different topic (insects, spiders, fall colors, pumpkins, etc.) and students can sign up for one class or all of them, like we did.  The class is run just like a preschool class with free time, circle time with a story and lesson, an art project and at the end of class, a nature hike.  It will be so nice for Buddy to have a chance to meet new kids and get a little bit of time in a classroom.  Not to mention, I will have two hours a week to myself too!

He was a little nervous to go on the first day, but as soon as we walked into his classroom and he saw the bug toys set up to play with, he was waving me off.  He was so excited to go back the second week.  And then on the second week, we found a snake curled up right outside of the entrance door!  Buddy was so quick to pick him up and had no fear.  I was a little freaked out and told Buddy to look, not touch.  Then I realized there was no harm in touching and if he wasn't afraid, he should hold the snake.  He was so happy to grab "his first snake".  I was so happy for the rest of the day because I knew how excited Buddy was.  Hopefully next week Buddy isn't too disappointed when the snake isn't outside waiting for him!

Four Years Old

I know I keep saying it (and it's getting harder each year) but how in the world is my little boy already four?

How do I want to remember Buddy at four years old?

He is silly (borderline crazy).  Buddy constantly makes up new words- thing-a-ma-doodle is my favorite.  After dinner, Buddy races to the couch, stands on the ottoman and shouts "It's jumpin' time! You don't know what jumpin' time is!" and rockets himself onto the couch.  Sometimes Derek and I just look at each other and wonder how in the world Buddy ever even came up with the idea to do whatever it is he is doing.     

He is smart.  Ask Buddy any fact about animals, and he will know the answer.  Buddy's strengths are different than Punky's were at this age but I definitely know that Buddy is a smart kid.  

He challenges us.  There have been some pretty terrible fits, but most often it is the not listening that gets to us.  And sometimes the not listening and not accepting "no" from us, leads to hitting.  On the flip side, Buddy is also a softy and is afraid a lot too.  He takes forever to fall asleep and comes downstairs multiple times every night.  Around 2 or 3 every morning, he ends up in our bed.  I love it and hate it at the same time.

He loves to draw.  I have been seriously impressed with all the drawings Buddy comes up with.  A few weeks ago, I bought a giant roll of white paper meant for an easel at IKEA.  It is nearly gone.  When we had family over for Labor Day weekend, we rolled a giant piece out and all the adults helped Buddy create an ocean scene.  Buddy directed us all and helped with some great animals.  Buddy is usually drawing animals or dinosaurs and more often than not I can actually tell what the animal is supposed to be. I really should photograph and scan in some of his best works.  

He likes to play with Punky.  When Punky started kindergarten last week, Buddy was a little lost without her.  He's adjusted well though.  But, every chance he gets, the two of them are playing together like best friends.  

He loves animals.  We caught approximately 13 grasshoppers, 24 dragonflies, and 19 worms this summer.  And they lived in Buddy's dollar store bug cage in the house (or garage if I could convince him).  And don't forget about Hopster #3.  Buddy's favorite toys/books/TV shows/clothes constantly revolve around animals or dinosaurs.  Everyone who knows him keeps remarking that he will one day be a zookeeper or have some sort of job with animals.  Forget about superheros, trucks or sports, this kid loves animals.    

We love you, Buddy!     

Kindergarten

Today was Punky's first day of kindergarten.  She had a great day and is ready to go back again tomorrow!  

Derek stayed home from work this morning so we both got up early and got ready before waking up the kids.  When I went into Punky's room to wake her, her eyes popped open and she clapped her hands and yawned, "kindergarten!!!".  This morning was an easy morning but I am not sure they will all be that way.  About two weeks ago, they started sleeping late, sometimes as late as 9 o'clock.  Hopefully we adjust to early bedtimes on school nights.  

   

As soon as we saw the bus stop heading down the street, Punky started waving goodbye and joined the group of kids.  We had to hold her back and tell her to give us a hug!  (And then we realized it wasn't even her bus!  Hers came a few minutes later.)

I started to tear up as I saw her walk to the back of the bus, then back to the front, looking for a seat.  We were told that there was assigned seating on the buses, but Punky didn't see her name and no one was helping her find it.  I felt so sad for her and there was nothing I could do to help her.  

We made a last minute decision to jump in our car and meet her at school.  We were able to see Punky walk into her classroom and find her seat.  It was very reassuring throughout the day when I constantly thought of her.

Derek headed to work and Buddy and I went about our day while Punky was in school.  We took our neighbor boy to the playground in the morning.  Then in the afternoon, we did a few errands.  Soon enough, it was time to pick Punky up from the bus.  She was very happy to see us and said she had a great day.  It was so difficult to get any information out of her.  Payback, I guess.  She did tell us a little, but mostly it was yes and no.  She did great eating the hot lunch, which I was worried about.  She played with some of her friends at recess and met new friends too.  I think she'll do just fine!  

This evening during dinner we had Punky explain her day to us.  Poor Buddy was so jealous.  He kept countering everything Punky said.  Punky sat in the green group, well Buddy sat in the red group.  Punky ate carrots at lunch, well Buddy ate broccoli.  We finally stopped our conversation and asked Buddy about his REAL day and he was haivng nothing of it.  He only wanted to pretend he was at kindergarten too.  Tomorrow is his first day of daycare by himself.  Wish us luck!