Long time, no movies on this here blog. Here are a couple unedited bits from kindergarten this morning. Something happens with the sound in the second one toward the end. I'm guessing I put my finger over the microphone on the camera. LOL! Anyway, just a fun little peek at what this morning was like...
Monday, August 31, 2009
My Official Kindergartner...
Well, Ben's first "day", went swimmingly. He skipped into the school, down the hallways and into his classroom. He did give me a look of utter disdain when the teacher called them all to come sit on the rug. LOL.
She introduced herself and read them a Clifford story. Clifford is their room mascot and once a week, someone will get to take Clifford home and write about their adventures with him at their house. During all this, the parents were filling out MOUNDS of paperwork, the contents of which I SWEAR I have filled out at least three times since registration. This interrupted my picture taking, but I snuck some in where I could.
After that, she set the kids free to choose games to play while the parents got the lowdown on things.
Then, in a blink of an eye, it was time to leave. An hour goes FAST!
I feel bad for his teacher when she realizes later today that she misspelled "kindergarten". LOL!
Can't get away from rug sitting... thankfully, he was only mildly annoyed by this. This year, it's a rainbow rug! ;)
She introduced herself and read them a Clifford story. Clifford is their room mascot and once a week, someone will get to take Clifford home and write about their adventures with him at their house. During all this, the parents were filling out MOUNDS of paperwork, the contents of which I SWEAR I have filled out at least three times since registration. This interrupted my picture taking, but I snuck some in where I could.
After that, she set the kids free to choose games to play while the parents got the lowdown on things.
Then, in a blink of an eye, it was time to leave. An hour goes FAST!
I feel bad for his teacher when she realizes later today that she misspelled "kindergarten". LOL!
Can't get away from rug sitting... thankfully, he was only mildly annoyed by this. This year, it's a rainbow rug! ;)
Sunday, August 30, 2009
As Ready As We'll Ever Be!
We took the kids up to the elementary school playground this afternoon in an effort to keep the kindergarten excitement momentum going. I took advantage of the fact that we had the place to ourselves and weren't rushed to take a few pics of Ben for the first day of school collection. I'm not 100% sure I'll have time to snap these particular pictures tomorrow and wanted to avoid the inevitable line of parents with their kindergartners attempting to get the same pics.
The playground was a hit!
The playground was a hit!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Ben's First Soccer Practice...
This story will be told in invisible pictures, since it seems my memory card somehow ate the 50 or so pictures I took. Really weird, I tell ya.
The first picture is of Ben with his new red Towson Rec soccer shirt on. He chose the number five. He also tucked it in because he felt like it was a little too big. (not really, but whatever) He LOVES the shirt.
Pictures 2-15 are of Ben running around with the ball. You'll notice in these pictures that Ben isn't wearing shin guards. We are the dumb parents who didn't realize we needed to provide such a thing. Ben wanted to know where his "armour" was. Oops. Tom and Ben are out at Dicks as I type this. They are purchasing shin guards.
16 and 17 are of Simon, standing on the sidelines with his shiny yellow soccer ball he brought, staring longingly at the big kids while they played. We had to coax him off the field multiple times, although he was pretty entertained by some extra soccer goals that were on the field. He asked us where his red shirt was.
18-25 - These are photos of the kids doing warm ups. It was very entertaining to watch 4-5 year olds do jumping jacks.
25-40 - These are photos of the kids doing drills. HIIIILARIOUS. They had to toss the ball into the air backwards and then turn around, find it, dribble and then kick it in the goal. Use your imagiaition and I'm sure you'll giggle too. Turns out that throwing the ball into the air backwards is a skill that 4-5-year-olds really kinda don't have. They also had to do side kicks and backwards kicks. This went a little better.
40-45 - The "two on two" games. In these photos, you will see my child mostly running around with his mouth open. He was screaming things like, "We might get muddy, but we won't care!" and "This team is too good for me! I can't beat them!" "Hey everyone, are we gonna work together?!" and "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
45-50 - "four on four" games. This was where my child got the entire team to yell "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!" as loudly as they could while chasing after the ball. Ben scored a goal somewhere in here. My favorite picture from this bunch though was of the coach asking each team (after several attemps at scoring on the wrong goal) which direction they were supposed to be taking the ball... the photo is of all four kids pointing at the goal.
All in all, it was an entertaining hour. I wish I had the pictures to show for it, because really, some of them were very funny. I guess I'll try again next week! I really have NO idea what happened with the card. I KNOW the card was in and the pics were there because I scrolled through them while I stood on the field and erased blurry/bad ones. Other pics from other things were there, so I know I didn't erase the card. (sigh)
I somehow don't think Ben has a future playing soccer. But at least it's fun to watch. ;)
The first picture is of Ben with his new red Towson Rec soccer shirt on. He chose the number five. He also tucked it in because he felt like it was a little too big. (not really, but whatever) He LOVES the shirt.
Pictures 2-15 are of Ben running around with the ball. You'll notice in these pictures that Ben isn't wearing shin guards. We are the dumb parents who didn't realize we needed to provide such a thing. Ben wanted to know where his "armour" was. Oops. Tom and Ben are out at Dicks as I type this. They are purchasing shin guards.
16 and 17 are of Simon, standing on the sidelines with his shiny yellow soccer ball he brought, staring longingly at the big kids while they played. We had to coax him off the field multiple times, although he was pretty entertained by some extra soccer goals that were on the field. He asked us where his red shirt was.
18-25 - These are photos of the kids doing warm ups. It was very entertaining to watch 4-5 year olds do jumping jacks.
25-40 - These are photos of the kids doing drills. HIIIILARIOUS. They had to toss the ball into the air backwards and then turn around, find it, dribble and then kick it in the goal. Use your imagiaition and I'm sure you'll giggle too. Turns out that throwing the ball into the air backwards is a skill that 4-5-year-olds really kinda don't have. They also had to do side kicks and backwards kicks. This went a little better.
40-45 - The "two on two" games. In these photos, you will see my child mostly running around with his mouth open. He was screaming things like, "We might get muddy, but we won't care!" and "This team is too good for me! I can't beat them!" "Hey everyone, are we gonna work together?!" and "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
45-50 - "four on four" games. This was where my child got the entire team to yell "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!" as loudly as they could while chasing after the ball. Ben scored a goal somewhere in here. My favorite picture from this bunch though was of the coach asking each team (after several attemps at scoring on the wrong goal) which direction they were supposed to be taking the ball... the photo is of all four kids pointing at the goal.
All in all, it was an entertaining hour. I wish I had the pictures to show for it, because really, some of them were very funny. I guess I'll try again next week! I really have NO idea what happened with the card. I KNOW the card was in and the pics were there because I scrolled through them while I stood on the field and erased blurry/bad ones. Other pics from other things were there, so I know I didn't erase the card. (sigh)
I somehow don't think Ben has a future playing soccer. But at least it's fun to watch. ;)
Nighttime Pics...
I needed a picture for the frame in the bathroom. (the current one is of just Ben when we was oh.... about 18 months old.. LOL)
So I dragged out the camera during tubbies last night, much to my husband's horror. I'm not sure if he thought I was taking backside pictures or what... but anyway, here's my new bathroom frame pic. ;)
Then, Simon wanted me to take his picture in his firetruck... I think that's the first time he's requested a picture, so I obliged. Wish the bottom one wasn't blurred on his face... (sigh)
Ugh. In other news, I think I need to put the rail back on Simon's crib today. I don't know what happened, but sometime after a really bad thunderstorm a week ago, he decided that continually getting out of his bed was an option. I'm hoping putting the rail back on the crib temporarily will be a consequence he will actually GET. At least then, I can let him scream angrily in his bed for a bit and pass out, as opposed to wandering the halls and screaming. Seriously. Not a fun phase going on over here right now. Again, practically NOTHING I learned with Ben applies to Simon. We never ever ever ever ever not once had a problem with Ben not staying in his bed at night. (now, actually going to sleep is another story... but he never got out)
So I dragged out the camera during tubbies last night, much to my husband's horror. I'm not sure if he thought I was taking backside pictures or what... but anyway, here's my new bathroom frame pic. ;)
Then, Simon wanted me to take his picture in his firetruck... I think that's the first time he's requested a picture, so I obliged. Wish the bottom one wasn't blurred on his face... (sigh)
Ugh. In other news, I think I need to put the rail back on Simon's crib today. I don't know what happened, but sometime after a really bad thunderstorm a week ago, he decided that continually getting out of his bed was an option. I'm hoping putting the rail back on the crib temporarily will be a consequence he will actually GET. At least then, I can let him scream angrily in his bed for a bit and pass out, as opposed to wandering the halls and screaming. Seriously. Not a fun phase going on over here right now. Again, practically NOTHING I learned with Ben applies to Simon. We never ever ever ever ever not once had a problem with Ben not staying in his bed at night. (now, actually going to sleep is another story... but he never got out)
Friday, August 28, 2009
The Kindergarten Mailbox...
(a continuation of my old category, "things found in Ben's prechool mailbox") ;)
Once a Teacher's Pet, Always a Teacher's Pet...
Okay, so I've already sent my first official email off to Ben's kindergarten teacher. I'm such a loser. ;)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Kindergarten Open House...
Wow. That was total insanity. So the deal is the school doesn't include the kids' teacher assignments in the welcome back letter so you HAVE to attend this open house thing to find out who your teacher is. 450 kids x 2-3 parents/grandparents/babysitters/siblings per kid equals A LOT OF FREAKING PEOPLE. And did I mention the school has oh, about 25 parking spaces? I parked hm... about 3/4 of the way between our house and the school. Yeah, long walk in 99% humidity. Good times.
We made our way to the (non airconditioned!) gym for the teacher assignment. Supposedly, the lines were in alphabetical order, except that there was so many people standing in front of the signs that had the letters on them, it was near impossible to tell which line was yours. Took me three tries and some help from my neighbors. (thanks Mike and Jess!)
Finally, we arrived at the table and were handed the teacher assignment I have been waiting for oh so impatiently... and.... NOT the teacher I was hoping for. I'm not sure I masked the disappointment well either. (sigh)
Anyway, off to room K-2 to check it out and meet the teacher.
THIS was the bright spot. The room was inviting and colorful and SO BIG. They have their own bathroom and there is so much to see and do. Ben immediately took note of the Lego table, his cubby and the listening center. He kinda didn't want to leave, but I promised him we'd be back on Monday.
The teacher was friendly. But she really won points with me because:
a) She had Ben's name on his cubby as "Ben" and not Thomas. Every other piece of school communication, including the teacher assignment we picked up, had him as THOMAS, even though I meticulously filled out every single form to say he goes by Benjamin.
b)She reminds me of Ben's preschool teacher from this past year, and...
c) She has two sons, which means she has lived with, raised and survived two boys of her own... I had hoped and prayed for a teacher who "got" little boys, because honestly, I think teachers who REALLY understand boys are hard to find. So there you go. I knew he'd end up just where he was supposed to be., even if it wasn't where I had my heart set on originally. :)
A neighbor's son has had her before and she says that although she did not find this teacher to be particularly warm and fuzzy, her son never had a bad word to say about her. So that's good to know....
Annnnnyway, so that's over and done with. We pretty much high-tailed it out of there and skipped the picnic because it was so hot and Simon was a little freaked by the loud music. (there was a dj on the playground)
So, kindergarten, ready or not, here we come! :D
We made our way to the (non airconditioned!) gym for the teacher assignment. Supposedly, the lines were in alphabetical order, except that there was so many people standing in front of the signs that had the letters on them, it was near impossible to tell which line was yours. Took me three tries and some help from my neighbors. (thanks Mike and Jess!)
Finally, we arrived at the table and were handed the teacher assignment I have been waiting for oh so impatiently... and.... NOT the teacher I was hoping for. I'm not sure I masked the disappointment well either. (sigh)
Anyway, off to room K-2 to check it out and meet the teacher.
THIS was the bright spot. The room was inviting and colorful and SO BIG. They have their own bathroom and there is so much to see and do. Ben immediately took note of the Lego table, his cubby and the listening center. He kinda didn't want to leave, but I promised him we'd be back on Monday.
The teacher was friendly. But she really won points with me because:
a) She had Ben's name on his cubby as "Ben" and not Thomas. Every other piece of school communication, including the teacher assignment we picked up, had him as THOMAS, even though I meticulously filled out every single form to say he goes by Benjamin.
b)She reminds me of Ben's preschool teacher from this past year, and...
c) She has two sons, which means she has lived with, raised and survived two boys of her own... I had hoped and prayed for a teacher who "got" little boys, because honestly, I think teachers who REALLY understand boys are hard to find. So there you go. I knew he'd end up just where he was supposed to be., even if it wasn't where I had my heart set on originally. :)
A neighbor's son has had her before and she says that although she did not find this teacher to be particularly warm and fuzzy, her son never had a bad word to say about her. So that's good to know....
Annnnnyway, so that's over and done with. We pretty much high-tailed it out of there and skipped the picnic because it was so hot and Simon was a little freaked by the loud music. (there was a dj on the playground)
So, kindergarten, ready or not, here we come! :D
Speech....
So I am sitting here collecting information on stuttering. I am starting to think Simon might have a legitimate issue...
I KNOW the stuttering/stammering thing is totally normal for two-year-olds. I know it's because their brain works faster than their mouths can get the words out. Ben did this too at this age... but it was different. He would get stuck on the first sound in a word and repeat words here and there. For example, at the end of this movie when he asks to hold the flags.
Simon's is MUCH more pronounced. He gets stuck on first sounds, repeats individual words and, lately, has started drawing out the vowels in words. A simple sentence might go something like this:
"C-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan I-I-I-I-I-I-IIIIIII c-c-c-c-c-c-caaaaaaaan c-c-c-c-aaaaaaaaaann I Hah-hah-hah-hah-hah c-c-c-c-c-aaaaaaaaan I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaave that?
And yes, it takes about ten minutes for him to say. I feel like it has only gotten this severe in the last week or so. He was having a really hard time for awhile there, then he had a few weeks where he was fine and now it's just worse.
When he hits those vowels, his voice switches to a lower pitch, which is really kinda weird and it's probably the thing that started getting me more concerned because he SOUNDS like every stuttering adult you've ever heard.
So I'm sitting here pondering whether it's worth getting him evaluated. a) because our county's speech therapy is free and through Ben's ES until Simon is three. and b) because if there IS a real issue, it makes to deal with it sooner than later.
Any thoughts or input? I feel like if I start with the pediatrician, she's only going to hear me say "two year old, stumbling over words" and is just going to tell me it's developmental normal. But honestly, something in my gut is telling me this is NOT normal. Hrm... or maybe it is and I'm just paranoid.
ETA: It would figure I get myself all worked up this morning... he woke up and hasn't stuttered ONCE. I wonder if it gets worse when he's tired?
I KNOW the stuttering/stammering thing is totally normal for two-year-olds. I know it's because their brain works faster than their mouths can get the words out. Ben did this too at this age... but it was different. He would get stuck on the first sound in a word and repeat words here and there. For example, at the end of this movie when he asks to hold the flags.
Simon's is MUCH more pronounced. He gets stuck on first sounds, repeats individual words and, lately, has started drawing out the vowels in words. A simple sentence might go something like this:
"C-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan I-I-I-I-I-I-IIIIIII c-c-c-c-c-c-caaaaaaaan c-c-c-c-aaaaaaaaaann I Hah-hah-hah-hah-hah c-c-c-c-c-aaaaaaaaan I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaave that?
And yes, it takes about ten minutes for him to say. I feel like it has only gotten this severe in the last week or so. He was having a really hard time for awhile there, then he had a few weeks where he was fine and now it's just worse.
When he hits those vowels, his voice switches to a lower pitch, which is really kinda weird and it's probably the thing that started getting me more concerned because he SOUNDS like every stuttering adult you've ever heard.
So I'm sitting here pondering whether it's worth getting him evaluated. a) because our county's speech therapy is free and through Ben's ES until Simon is three. and b) because if there IS a real issue, it makes to deal with it sooner than later.
Any thoughts or input? I feel like if I start with the pediatrician, she's only going to hear me say "two year old, stumbling over words" and is just going to tell me it's developmental normal. But honestly, something in my gut is telling me this is NOT normal. Hrm... or maybe it is and I'm just paranoid.
ETA: It would figure I get myself all worked up this morning... he woke up and hasn't stuttered ONCE. I wonder if it gets worse when he's tired?
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Talk to Me About...
...Wide angle/fisheye lenses for my camera.
Which ones are good? What should I look for when shopping for one? I see these "lens adapters" that are dirt cheap and, from what I can understand, make a regular lens a wide angle lens. But then there are others that are $299+...
???
Thanks in advance! :D
Which ones are good? What should I look for when shopping for one? I see these "lens adapters" that are dirt cheap and, from what I can understand, make a regular lens a wide angle lens. But then there are others that are $299+...
???
Thanks in advance! :D
It's Only Wednesday?!
Gah. I hope today is better than yesterday. Simon pulled a no-nap on Monday and the effects carried over into yesterday. He was SO whiny from the minute he got out of bed. He ended up sitting on the chair THREE times before 10a.m. And then, he threw a total fit and HIT me, which landed him in a FOURTH time out in his bed. When I went in to talk to him, I rocked him for few minutes... he looked up at me and announced he wanted to lay down. He then napped from 10:45-12:45...
That. Was. A. Very. Long. Day.
Thankfully, bedtime was mostly without incident, (there have been some issues since the bad thunderstorm a week ago)... so I'm hoping he has righted himself today and will nap at his usual time, because yeah, SO not ready to give up naps, obviously.
Off to make my second cup of coffee to gear up for this day...
That. Was. A. Very. Long. Day.
Thankfully, bedtime was mostly without incident, (there have been some issues since the bad thunderstorm a week ago)... so I'm hoping he has righted himself today and will nap at his usual time, because yeah, SO not ready to give up naps, obviously.
Off to make my second cup of coffee to gear up for this day...
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
I Think I'm Safe in Saying That This Would Not Happen in a House with Two Girls...
My children have invented a game called "Pinata". One of them puts a popup hamper on their heads (which basically covers their entire body) and the other beats the one in the hamper with a foam baseball bat.
A Simon Funny...
This one's comes to you from Tom and happened on his watch over the weekend...
Simon approached our lone pepper plant out back. (they are Tabasco hot peppers)
Tom: Simon, just LOOK at the peppers, don't touch them, they're hot.
Simon: Oh. I will cool them off. (at which point he started blowing on the plant)
LOL!
Simon approached our lone pepper plant out back. (they are Tabasco hot peppers)
Tom: Simon, just LOOK at the peppers, don't touch them, they're hot.
Simon: Oh. I will cool them off. (at which point he started blowing on the plant)
LOL!
Monday, August 24, 2009
What a Difference 49 Months Makes...
Ben was playing with a ball today in the pool and I remembered I had a picture of him with it when he was 15 months old... check this out!
Our Day...
THIS is what I walked into this morning after I left the boys to play while I made the beds, vacuumed and cleaned the upstairs bathrooms. It took them about a half hour to do this. Aren't they gifted?
I got them back though. They weren't allowed to play anywhere else until it was cleaned up. I am happy to report that the room is now spotless. Seriously, I am all for not interrupting kids' play by worrying about the mess... and I'm getting really good about just doing a once a day cleanup. But c'mon, what are they getting out of dumping EVERYTHING out onto the floor?
Later, we played in the pool out back. I figured it was safe because between yesterday and today, our baby birds flew the coop! I couldn't find them anywhere nearby either, so I guess their flight was successful?
Oh, and did I mention that it's oh, about 4p.m. and Simon hasn't napped yet? Yep. I think today might be the first official nap skippage day. (sigh) I'm forcing them to sit on the couch and watch Noggin for an hour so I can regain my sanity.
I can't decide if school starting is going to HELP or make my life harder. I guess we'll see...
I got them back though. They weren't allowed to play anywhere else until it was cleaned up. I am happy to report that the room is now spotless. Seriously, I am all for not interrupting kids' play by worrying about the mess... and I'm getting really good about just doing a once a day cleanup. But c'mon, what are they getting out of dumping EVERYTHING out onto the floor?
Later, we played in the pool out back. I figured it was safe because between yesterday and today, our baby birds flew the coop! I couldn't find them anywhere nearby either, so I guess their flight was successful?
Oh, and did I mention that it's oh, about 4p.m. and Simon hasn't napped yet? Yep. I think today might be the first official nap skippage day. (sigh) I'm forcing them to sit on the couch and watch Noggin for an hour so I can regain my sanity.
I can't decide if school starting is going to HELP or make my life harder. I guess we'll see...
The Postcard is Here! :D
This came on Saturday. I love this tradition at the kids' preschool... so cute. Like Ben's postcards from preschool, this will go right in the baby book under the school section! :)
A Ben Funny...
Ben is positively DREADING kindergarten.
He's resigned to it and I don't see him putting up a fight next week or anything, and I know he'll like it once he gets there, but he is certainly not bouncing off the walls excited about it. He's very afraid he is going to have to "sit and write with a pencil all day". I've have told him all about recess and gym class and other fun things he'll do, and so have his friends who have already been through Kindergarten, but so far, he's not convinced.
So anyway, recently, he said to me, "I'm REALLY tired of everyone talking to me about kindergarden." (I kinda get that. Everywhere we go, people ask him if he's ready for school and if he's excited and yada blah blah)
Then yesterday (this is the funny part), we were watching tv and a commercial came on for Leapfrog something or other. There was a line in there about getting kids ready for school/back to school.
Ben looked at Tom and says, all exasperated, "Even the TELEVISION wants me to go to kindergarden!!!!"
LOL!!!!
He's resigned to it and I don't see him putting up a fight next week or anything, and I know he'll like it once he gets there, but he is certainly not bouncing off the walls excited about it. He's very afraid he is going to have to "sit and write with a pencil all day". I've have told him all about recess and gym class and other fun things he'll do, and so have his friends who have already been through Kindergarten, but so far, he's not convinced.
So anyway, recently, he said to me, "I'm REALLY tired of everyone talking to me about kindergarden." (I kinda get that. Everywhere we go, people ask him if he's ready for school and if he's excited and yada blah blah)
Then yesterday (this is the funny part), we were watching tv and a commercial came on for Leapfrog something or other. There was a line in there about getting kids ready for school/back to school.
Ben looked at Tom and says, all exasperated, "Even the TELEVISION wants me to go to kindergarden!!!!"
LOL!!!!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Happy 2nd Birthday, Cousin Anastasia!
Ben takes his birthday partying very seriously. ;)
Reading her sushi book from Aunt Sarah and Uncle Taylor
Ben saying "ooo" "ahhhh" as all the gifts were opened. (it's a family joke) ;)
I'd say she gets the whole gift opening routine now...
Trying on some dressups
Simon angling to play with the bowling his cousin got
Candle blowing...
(blurry! Drat!!!)
Cake eating!
Thanks for having us, guys! We had a blast! :) (Ben said he wanted to stay all day!)
Reading her sushi book from Aunt Sarah and Uncle Taylor
Ben saying "ooo" "ahhhh" as all the gifts were opened. (it's a family joke) ;)
I'd say she gets the whole gift opening routine now...
Trying on some dressups
Simon angling to play with the bowling his cousin got
Candle blowing...
(blurry! Drat!!!)Cake eating!
Thanks for having us, guys! We had a blast! :) (Ben said he wanted to stay all day!)
Friday, August 21, 2009
The Cuteness That Will Never Be Captured...
Simon does so many adorable things these days that I'd love to take movies of, except that whenever I get the camera out, he stops what he's doing and chases me down for it. "I take a peeshur!! I take a peeshur! Me hold it!!!" And then he screams when I won't give it to him.
The following is a list of cute things I'd like to get on video these days:
* Reading his books. He has a good number of our regular bedtime reads memorized and hearing him spout them off while turning the pages is hysterical. My favorite is when he does "It's Time for Bed"... He can't ever remember that the insect is a bee, so his version just goes, "It's time for bed little bug, little bug." Makes me laugh every time. He also loves this book called "Hungry Bunny" that is kind of a Hungry Catterpillar ripoff... but in it is a whole huge list of things 1-20 that the bunny eats. Some of the pictures, he can't remember the names of... he'll pause and then make something up. My favorites are "balls" and "dots" and "lines"(apricots, blueberries and green beans). Yet, somehow, he always remembers the 20 rutabagas.
* Dancing. The kid dances up a storm. He wiggles his butt and shakes his head and stomps all over the place. It's awesome.
* Wearing Ben's costumes. He'll routinely dive into the costume closet now and request to put something on. My personal favorite is when he gets one of the various Star Wars helmets. He looks like a neckless, midget stormtrooper.
* The pirate impersonation
* The poop dance, although, I have officially lost my chance to capture this one... :(
* The silly voices he does
* Wearing the superman pajamas and running around the upstairs calling himself "Superbaby to the rescue!"
* Hitting a baseball, something he has gotten pretty good at recently!
So yeah... I'd love to capture it all, but I have to figure out a way to disguise my camera. LOL! He's at a really fun age these days and is just HILARIOUS!
The following is a list of cute things I'd like to get on video these days:
* Reading his books. He has a good number of our regular bedtime reads memorized and hearing him spout them off while turning the pages is hysterical. My favorite is when he does "It's Time for Bed"... He can't ever remember that the insect is a bee, so his version just goes, "It's time for bed little bug, little bug." Makes me laugh every time. He also loves this book called "Hungry Bunny" that is kind of a Hungry Catterpillar ripoff... but in it is a whole huge list of things 1-20 that the bunny eats. Some of the pictures, he can't remember the names of... he'll pause and then make something up. My favorites are "balls" and "dots" and "lines"(apricots, blueberries and green beans). Yet, somehow, he always remembers the 20 rutabagas.
* Dancing. The kid dances up a storm. He wiggles his butt and shakes his head and stomps all over the place. It's awesome.
* Wearing Ben's costumes. He'll routinely dive into the costume closet now and request to put something on. My personal favorite is when he gets one of the various Star Wars helmets. He looks like a neckless, midget stormtrooper.
* The pirate impersonation
* The poop dance, although, I have officially lost my chance to capture this one... :(
* The silly voices he does
* Wearing the superman pajamas and running around the upstairs calling himself "Superbaby to the rescue!"
* Hitting a baseball, something he has gotten pretty good at recently!
So yeah... I'd love to capture it all, but I have to figure out a way to disguise my camera. LOL! He's at a really fun age these days and is just HILARIOUS!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
A Hard Lesson to Learn...
Ben is learning some hard social lessons these days, and though I feel bad for him, I know in the long run, learning these lessons early and learning to read people and navigate social situations will save him heartache later on... he is SO much his daddy sometimes.
All he wants to do these days is play Star Wars. Yes, we are still knee-deep in Star Wars, Phase III. He wants to build Star Wars things out of Legos, play the SW Lego Wii game and run around outside pretending he is in Star Wars.
He also thinks everyone else has the same mindset. For the life of him, he just can't seem to grasp that not EVERYONE is into Star Wars... and that even though some people are happy to play it with him sometimes, they also like to play other things. Seriously, it's a TOTALLY foreign concept to him. You should see the look on his face when I am explaining that sometimes his friends like to play other things... he truly doesn't believe me.
Last night, outside with his neighborhood buddies, he was absolutely distraught because his friends wanted to play a number of things besides Star Wars. Soccer, baseball, pretend train, golf and pirates. All wonderful and noble children's outdoor activities. Ben? Dead set on Star Wars and utterly offended that everyone was not following him around to get their assigned Star Wars characters and play their parts. There was no mean spiritedness about it... It wasn't that they didn't want to play with HIM, they just didn't want to play his game.
He was so upset at one point that Tom had to bring him inside to get it together. Even when I went to tuck him in last night, he was still talking about it. "No one wants to play Star Wars. They think Star Wars is BORING! WHY do they think Star Wars is boring?! John only likes to play baseball and Trey only wants to play FAMILY. I HATE playing family."
I suggested that perhaps he should TRY what his friends are playing and then maybe they would try what HE wants to play. And that getting angry at his friends and crying isn't going to make them want to play what he wants to play. He pondered that for awhile and then ruminated some more on "How could they think Star Wars is BORING?!"
LOL. Poor kid. He's a passionate/intense kid and a born leader, he just needs to learn how to lead without dictating... I don't feel bad saying he gets this from his father. ;)
I did tell him there was one person who would NEVER get tired of playing Star Wars and that's his daddy. And with that happy thought in mind, he snuggled up in his pillow and went to sleep.
All he wants to do these days is play Star Wars. Yes, we are still knee-deep in Star Wars, Phase III. He wants to build Star Wars things out of Legos, play the SW Lego Wii game and run around outside pretending he is in Star Wars.
He also thinks everyone else has the same mindset. For the life of him, he just can't seem to grasp that not EVERYONE is into Star Wars... and that even though some people are happy to play it with him sometimes, they also like to play other things. Seriously, it's a TOTALLY foreign concept to him. You should see the look on his face when I am explaining that sometimes his friends like to play other things... he truly doesn't believe me.
Last night, outside with his neighborhood buddies, he was absolutely distraught because his friends wanted to play a number of things besides Star Wars. Soccer, baseball, pretend train, golf and pirates. All wonderful and noble children's outdoor activities. Ben? Dead set on Star Wars and utterly offended that everyone was not following him around to get their assigned Star Wars characters and play their parts. There was no mean spiritedness about it... It wasn't that they didn't want to play with HIM, they just didn't want to play his game.
He was so upset at one point that Tom had to bring him inside to get it together. Even when I went to tuck him in last night, he was still talking about it. "No one wants to play Star Wars. They think Star Wars is BORING! WHY do they think Star Wars is boring?! John only likes to play baseball and Trey only wants to play FAMILY. I HATE playing family."
I suggested that perhaps he should TRY what his friends are playing and then maybe they would try what HE wants to play. And that getting angry at his friends and crying isn't going to make them want to play what he wants to play. He pondered that for awhile and then ruminated some more on "How could they think Star Wars is BORING?!"
LOL. Poor kid. He's a passionate/intense kid and a born leader, he just needs to learn how to lead without dictating... I don't feel bad saying he gets this from his father. ;)
I did tell him there was one person who would NEVER get tired of playing Star Wars and that's his daddy. And with that happy thought in mind, he snuggled up in his pillow and went to sleep.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Bullets...
* The kids and I didn't leave the house yesterday. No reason to and I figured those kinds of days are going to be few and far between all too soon. They were perfectly happy to just dress up in costumes, play Legos, and read books. I took advantage of the down time to houseclean my upstairs. It's nice to have one floor absolutely spotless. I even cleaned out the closets and drawers and filled up the donation bin for the Goodwill.
* I've been enlisted to do a web project for the preschool that is so far over my head it's not even funny. I was totally up front about HOW over my head it was, but said I'd be happy to give it a whirl. They took those words and ran with them. I figured out a workaround that mostly suits my purposes and actually works reasonably well, but I'm so scared they are going to launch it with the start of school and it's not going to work right or the parents will revolt. (It's an online signup for the school's lunch/extended day program) Yikes.
* Ben has a dentist appointment AND a haircut this week. Apparently, I am a glutton for punishment.
* This is my new favorite easy go-to recipe. I generally half it and it's plenty for Tom and I and for him to take to work the next day. It would be plenty for the kids to eat too, if they'd actually eat ground turkey/beef. But they don't. So more for us. Thanks to Beth for this one!
* I ordered some fall/winter clothes from Old Navy and the Gap that came yesterday. Once again, I was duped by the shirts that looked normal on the website, but turned out to be tissue paper thin. WHY?! What is the point of a shirt that is totally see through?! I realize you are supposed to "layer", but I'm not into layering... can't they just make a FEW shirts that are normal thickness?
* Simon has taken to saying things in funny voices just to get a laugh. Just last night, he yelled twice from his bed before he went to sleep that he had to pee pee, except he sounded like jim Carey and he said, "MommAY! I have to PAY PAY" which he said with both lips tucked under (if you can picture that). He thought this was just hysterically funny. (and it was) My mom says he reminds her more and more of my brother every day. This is wonderful... I love my brother and he's hysterically funny and all. I just hope whatever career Simon chooses doesn't land him across the country. LOL!
* Speaking of pee pee, Simon has turned out to be a much cheaper potty-trainee than his older brother. In fact, other than a few chocolate chips a few months ago when we were first testing the waters? He hasn't cost us a dime. (or any Star Wars figures) Awesome. Also, He seems to be over his poop phobia. All that's left to conquer is night training, which should just happen naturally as he gets a little older. That was a little too easy. (knock on all kinds of wood) I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak.
* I'm have a collection of unfinished projects and it's is driving me crazy. I feel like I never finish ANYTHING. And then when I go back to work on something, I can never remember where I left off. Scrapbooks, sewing, knitting, painting ceilings, sealing the deck... I need to have a whole day (week) dedicated to FINISHING things.
* Wishing my friend Mandy all the luck in the world today at her interview! She has an interview for a job that couldn't be more perfect for her. I am hoping and praying that she gets it!
* I have officially started my Christmas shopping. As usual, I probably won't actually finish until Christmas Eve, but I've started.
* Facebook is a timesuck. Why do I feel the need to check it 50 times a day? Even as I type this, I'm starting to get that FB twitch because I haven't pulled it up in at LEAST 20 minutes.
* I've been enlisted to do a web project for the preschool that is so far over my head it's not even funny. I was totally up front about HOW over my head it was, but said I'd be happy to give it a whirl. They took those words and ran with them. I figured out a workaround that mostly suits my purposes and actually works reasonably well, but I'm so scared they are going to launch it with the start of school and it's not going to work right or the parents will revolt. (It's an online signup for the school's lunch/extended day program) Yikes.
* Ben has a dentist appointment AND a haircut this week. Apparently, I am a glutton for punishment.
* This is my new favorite easy go-to recipe. I generally half it and it's plenty for Tom and I and for him to take to work the next day. It would be plenty for the kids to eat too, if they'd actually eat ground turkey/beef. But they don't. So more for us. Thanks to Beth for this one!
* I ordered some fall/winter clothes from Old Navy and the Gap that came yesterday. Once again, I was duped by the shirts that looked normal on the website, but turned out to be tissue paper thin. WHY?! What is the point of a shirt that is totally see through?! I realize you are supposed to "layer", but I'm not into layering... can't they just make a FEW shirts that are normal thickness?
* Simon has taken to saying things in funny voices just to get a laugh. Just last night, he yelled twice from his bed before he went to sleep that he had to pee pee, except he sounded like jim Carey and he said, "MommAY! I have to PAY PAY" which he said with both lips tucked under (if you can picture that). He thought this was just hysterically funny. (and it was) My mom says he reminds her more and more of my brother every day. This is wonderful... I love my brother and he's hysterically funny and all. I just hope whatever career Simon chooses doesn't land him across the country. LOL!
* Speaking of pee pee, Simon has turned out to be a much cheaper potty-trainee than his older brother. In fact, other than a few chocolate chips a few months ago when we were first testing the waters? He hasn't cost us a dime. (or any Star Wars figures) Awesome. Also, He seems to be over his poop phobia. All that's left to conquer is night training, which should just happen naturally as he gets a little older. That was a little too easy. (knock on all kinds of wood) I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak.
* I'm have a collection of unfinished projects and it's is driving me crazy. I feel like I never finish ANYTHING. And then when I go back to work on something, I can never remember where I left off. Scrapbooks, sewing, knitting, painting ceilings, sealing the deck... I need to have a whole day (week) dedicated to FINISHING things.
* Wishing my friend Mandy all the luck in the world today at her interview! She has an interview for a job that couldn't be more perfect for her. I am hoping and praying that she gets it!
* I have officially started my Christmas shopping. As usual, I probably won't actually finish until Christmas Eve, but I've started.
* Facebook is a timesuck. Why do I feel the need to check it 50 times a day? Even as I type this, I'm starting to get that FB twitch because I haven't pulled it up in at LEAST 20 minutes.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Cousins and a Summer Evening at the Pool...
We had a wonderful evening with all the inlaws at the pool last night. It was summer at its best! :D
Simon playing with a found Kung Fu Panda
Best one I could get of Simon and Anastasia together. LOL!
Brothers being loud...
Best attempt at one of the three of them. Sadly, Simon looks spaced out and Ben was disagreeable to the whole thing. Oh and poor Anastasia's lips are the same color as the dots on her bathing suit! ;)
Simon swimming
Anastasia and the Nemo goggles. LOL!
Simon playing with a found Kung Fu Panda
Best one I could get of Simon and Anastasia together. LOL!
Brothers being loud...
Best attempt at one of the three of them. Sadly, Simon looks spaced out and Ben was disagreeable to the whole thing. Oh and poor Anastasia's lips are the same color as the dots on her bathing suit! ;)
Simon swimming
Anastasia and the Nemo goggles. LOL!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
They Grow up So Fast! ;)
The babies line up to be fed now... too cute! They are getting big and starting to grow feathers. :)
