The first week

The first few full days of school have come and gone and James has been adjusting pretty well. He did have an accident on the way to school on his first day, but other than that, things have been relatively uneventful. He loves his teacher and has been enjoying playing new games and meeting new people.

We had Back to School night on Tuesday, where we learned more about the curriculum for the year and on Wednesday we learned first hand about the behavioral chart. 

The behavioral chart is a tool for discipline where the kids each have a clothes pin clipped to the chart. If you're good, you stay on blue. You can go down to green or yellow (yellow usually results in a consequence) or you can be super exceptional and move up to orange which results in a sticker and small prize. The colors make no sense to me, because they aren't in rainbow ROY G BIV order, but I'm going to get over it. Adam asked James how he did on the chart on Wednesday, who told us he was on yellow. He was warned twice for not calming down after recess. This makes total sense to me, since calming down has never been James' strong suit.  We didn't get too upset with James, mainly tried to listen as he explained himself. I suppose the funniest part of all of this was that James made sure he told us that the other kid "taught him how to be bad". I'm pretty sure he needed no help, but we talked about our expectation for his behavior and today he had no problems. 

We are slowly getting into the routine, James gets lunch and a snack, which eases a lot of my worry about him being hungry. Our daycare provider's daughter has been walking him across the street to the bus on days when the older kids aren't there in the morning. Logan seems to be thoroughly enjoying being a "big kid" at daycare without his brother, but they have been much more affectionate with each other when they are together. 

Overall, it's been exhausting, especially with soccer practice mixed in, but this is an exciting time for all of us. Even if I still can't believe I have a 5 year old!

First Day Jitters

Tomorrow is the big day: James' first full day of kindergarten! His first day on the bus and the first day of the next 13 years. We went for a few hours on Friday and the parents heard from the guidance counselor and administration. James was with his class and I think he's fallen hard for his teacher. She a little and perky, but firm from what we saw and I know that my little people pleaser will do well. 

Before we left in Friday, his teacher read a cute story, First Day Jitters about being nervous for school. The funny part is that the teacher is the one with the jitters! The kids had a good laugh and then received a Baggie full of "jitter glitter".

Overall, James seemed excited and not at all nervous. He's loved preschool time with Rhonda and I think he's well prepared. As parents, we're working through all kinds of things. Some of them are pretty easy, just the logistics of it all. We need to pack lunch and a snack. Sneakers on Tuesday and library books in Friday. I've been working through the idea that more and more we are giving up control of our child. This is the way of life, we know that eventually we are raising our children to be independent and strong, but I think my growing pains have been worse then theirs! Again, it's a bittersweet feeling and I'm sure I will be crying after I put my big boy on the bus!

There is a poem in with James' bag of jitter glitter, you're supposed to sprinkle it under your pillow the night before school. Maybe I need to borrow some!

Remember when?

Remember when it was easy to find time to write this blog?

I'm not actually sure that I do remember such a thing.  It seems I'm having trouble remembering so many things lately.

For instance, James starts kindergarten next week and I can hardly remember what it was like for him to be a baby.  He seems so big and independent these days and now he's leaving daycare and going to a new school for long school days where I will have even less control than I do now...  Is that a run on sentence?  I see his baby pictures and I can remember for a minute snuggling his little tiny self, but now I give a hug to a big, heavy boy.  A big boy to tells me his thoughts and about his dreams (always about purple monsters...)  A big boy who plays games with other big boys and leaves his mother totally confused about what is happening.  A big boy who loves his brother and wants nothing more than Logan to follow his beck and call.  Logan, on the other hand, has no time for brother's instructions.

Remember when I thought we'd have two kids and I'd get this feeling of being "done" and then we'd be done?  Ha!  That thought was fleeting and I never had a feeling of done.  So here I am, almost 12 weeks pregnant with number 3.  Even more hilarious, remember when I thought I'd never even have kids? Time has made me a liar.

Kindergarten Registration

Yesterday, we took James to his new school to get registered for kindergarten. We took his list of needed items (birth certificate, deed, shot record) and were in and out in less than 15 minutes. 

James' main concern was wanting to go play with other kids at school. When he found out that we were confined to the front lobby of the school, he was upset.  But after we got some celebratory ice cream, he felt much better. 

At James' request, we went back to daycare and picked his baby brother up early. Then we came home and had a Cinco de Mayo pool party. Overall, a sucessful day. 

Sunscreen Failure

Yesterday, the weather was beautiful.  We were outside as a family in the morning and afternoon and it was wonderful all around.  At naptime, I got in a 4 mile run and was proud of myself for getting back into some exercise.  But let's think about that, I went for a run.  At noon.  In the full sun.  With no sunscreen.
So that was a bit of a failure on my part, one that I didn't even think about until we were brushing the boys teeth before bed.  Adam noticed that I was quite red on my shoulders and back and James heard him telling me how sunburned I was.
After brushing his teeth, I helped James into his night clothes and as he did this, James asked, "Mom, does it hurt?"
I said, "Does what hurt?"
"Your sunburn."
"No, it isn't too bad, I forgot to wear sunscreen."
"We always wear sunscreen at the beach!"
"Well yes, James, momma doesn't ever forget to put it on you guys."
"Oh."
I showered and Adam put some aloe on for me.  The burn isn't too bad this morning, but I do have a perfect outline of a racer back tank top.

The boys enjoying the sun

All the Bears

My Grandma Smith had a huge teddy bear collection. One thing I remember from growing up was picking a different bear to sleep with every time we stayed with her. They all had elaborate names and back stories of where she had gotten them. They littered her couch and living room. There were old bears, like the original Smokey the Bear (always a favorite in the very fire prone Northern California) and there new new bears with tutus or cowboy hats. The fact that my dad's nickname is Bear wasn't something I thought of as a kid, but now the boys call him Grandbear and its so very fitting.  

When I was around 16, after her husband passed away, she made an effort to move the bears to one of the back bedrooms, but there were still a few favorites on the couch. 

After Grandma died and items were given out to my cousins, aunt and mom, I ended up with three of the newer bears, a momma and two cubs. Being pregnant with my second son, my mom thought I would enjoy the three bears. 

They have been well loved since they came to Maryland. The momma bear is now a daddy bear (don't worry, there's a smaller momma bear somewhere, I haven't been totally forgotten.)

James calls him Big Bear and he's been hanging out in our living room this week. My boys never met their Great Grandma, but I'm glad they have one last gift from her. 

Choosing words carefully

Today James grabbed a toy snake and as he held it to the back of his head he asked me, "Mom, do I look like a girl?"

I told him that he looked like someone with long hair.

He pushed further, "But do I look more like a girl."

I said yes, if the girl has long hair. 

He gave up on the conversation and ran off, not giving it a second thought. 

We frequently have a similar conversation about "girl toys" and "boy toys". And we are quick to reinforce that anyone can play with any toy. 

All of these questions from James lead me to wonder about many things, but mainly they remind me that it's important to choose my words well. I want to teach him tolerance and equality and love, but sometimes my admittedly more "liberal" thoughts aren't shared by everyone. This is one of the things that scares me the most about raising my boys. It especially scares me when I think about James staring school in the fall. 

I once had a coworker ask me what I thought of gay marriage and what I would think if James brought home a boyfriend. When I told her I would be happy that he'd found someone to love, she seemed shocked. That was one conversation that ended quickly! 

I know as the boys get older, we will have more conversations and lessons to be taught (and even more for us to learn as parents.) For now we will keep our message simple and accepting. 

The four year old vocabulary

James has always been a talker. He spoke early and often and that trend continues today. 

Once he figures out a new word, he runs with it. 

Last night he mentioned that he thought Penny was looking luscious. 

Then this morning he grabbed his little brother for a hug and said, "Look at this luscious baby!"

I'm not sure exactly what he thinks luscious means, but apparently it's a good thing. 

The Makeup Artist

In the mornings when I get ready for work, James likes to be my "helper."  Usually this means holding my blush brush while I put on my other (minimal) makeup.  I have a 5 minute routine, foundation, eye liner, mascara, and blush.  This morning James was very keen on being my "very good little helper" because he had several time outs yesterday and he was looking to atone.  He's very funny about being super helpful after he's had a bad day, so the good news is that I'm not raising a total sociopath.
Anyway, this morning he was holding my blush, the brush, a mirror and a tube of mascara, demonstrating that he was so helpful that he could hold 4 items at once.  I was putting on foundation with a makeup sponge when he asked what I was holding.  I told him a makeup sponge.  Then he asked, "Does that put black stuff on your face?"
I said, "No James, nothing on my face is black."  I'm pretty pale, so I always use a shade of foundation called Ivory.  Or Light Ivory, depending on the brand.
James quickly pointed to my large, under eye circles and said, "There momma, its black under there."
I quickly said, "No James, momma is just very tired, but thanks for noticing."
He laughed and laughed.  At least I'm still funny, even if I'm tired.

The Meatloaf Debacle

All my life, I've been known as a picky eater.  I don't like tomatoes, broccoli...  okay, most vegetables...  or fish.  I'm not into sushi, french onion soup or other "fancy" foods.  Peanut butter and jelly is still a go-to meal at 31 years old.  I keep it pretty basic.  When I married a picky eater, I wondered what our children would possibly eat.
Luckily, they both are really good eaters.  They love green beans and peas and all kinds of foods that I would never touch.  Usually, they both cannot eat enough.  They are growing boys, after all.
Last night, Adam whipped up a meatloaf.  He makes wonderful meatballs and spaghetti almost every Monday, his telework day, but wanted to change things up a little bit.  A very little bit, he uses the same recipe for both meals, its just a matter of a loaf or ball presentation.
So we baked the meatloaf, pulled it out of the oven, and I sliced up pieces for the boys to eat.  The plates went in front of the boys and the direct opposite of what I thought would happen, happened.
They revolted!  Logan took a bite, then immediately spat it out.  He then used his fingers to get any remaining meat out of his mouth and back onto his plate.  James had a similar reaction.  I bit into my meatloaf and thought it tasted great, but the boys weren't having it.  James was finally persuaded to eat, even though it was "terrible" but Logan flatly refused.  Now, if you put a meatball in front of either of them, its instantly inhaled.  We tried several times to get Logan to eat, but he wouldn't.  Finally, we gave him a string cheese and called it dinner.
Kids are funny creatures.

The last few months... list form

In the last few months Logan has:

1.  Gotten tubes in his ears.
2.  Begun speech therapy through the Baltimore County Infants and Toddlers program for his slight speech delay.
3.  Learned to LOVE Elmo.
4.  Started to climb everything.
5.  Continued to run head first through life, occasionally into the path of heavy machinery.
6.  Fallen in love with Rhonda's kitten, Callie.
7.  Started to have tantrums consistent with almost being 2.
8.  Fully committed to being a daddy's boy, which took much longer than mom thought.
9.  Slept consistently through the night.

In the last few months James has:

1.  Improved his bike riding skills (but still with training wheels).
2.  Gotten even more curious about the world around him (why does the sun rise and set, when does a new day start, what day of the week is it, why is it cold out).
3.  Figured out most of his family's relationships, save some of the more complicated ones (Grandpa is dad's dad, Grandma Deedee is mom AND Uncle Trav's mom, Auntie Chelle is dad's stepsister, which means they're family but no, they don't look alike).
4.  Continued to love preschool.
5.  Gotten even more opinionated on what he wants to wear.
6.  Mostly been accident free during the day...  mostly.  And has started to be better at night.  Well, a little.  Some nights?  We're trying...
7.  Started to refer to his brother as "Little Feet".
8.  Started to play alone in his room from time to time, especially when little brother wants to eat Legos.
9.  Played on his first soccer team, if you count sitting down in the middle of the field every game as playing.