Starting School

So I am going to skip over the fact that  I have written NOTHING for a year and just start explaining what the past week has been like:


Last Tuesday, Alivia started first grade.  She  had not been to public school yet so it was a pretty big change from her kindergarden of 5 kids in Mrs Harwoods sunroom last year.  Mrs Gonczarow had invited her to her classroom with Matt and the other kids the week before school started.  She had played on the smart board and met the teacher and was excited for school to start.  On the first day, she wanted me to drive her to school and walk her to her classroom.  I was happy to do this.  As we walked into the school her grip on my hand tightened but she was very brave and walked right to her locker.  I helped her unload her things into her locker, took a few pictures and went into the classroom with her.  She sat at the desk for another picture and then it was time for me to leave.  She was fine, I DID NOT WANT TO GO.  I wanted to sit right beside her and watch what was going to happen.  It wasn't really that I was worried about her, I just wanted to know what was going to happen.   I wanted to learn all the kids names and see who would become her new friends.  I wanted to see what they did in the classroom and watch her enjoy the day.  I knew I was limited to knowing only what Alivia decided to tell me at the end of the day.  So, I kissed her and headed out.  In the parking lot I ran into three other moms that I knew.  We all just stood there like maybe we could just hang out in the parking lot for the day.  After some chit chat we all headed out and left our babies in the giant school.  I am sure that Alivia will love the school and that she will do great.  One week into school she loves Music and Art and riding the bus.  I hope she learns a lot and that the teacher can keep her busy and entertained.  She is so smart and good at everything she does.  It will be fun to watch her grow this year.  May it be school activities and not Lady Gaga that she is excited by as she learns about so many new things.

We had more places to go.  We had to take Molly to her Montessori Preschool open house.  She marched in and walked around like she owned the place.  The teacher was painting pictures on the children's arms and she sat and waited patiently to get her painting done.  Mrs Campanelli actually had to leave the painting area before Molly got her picture so Molly sat patiently for several minutes for her to come back and paint again.  Molly amazes me with her bravery.  It doesn't even occur to her to be afraid or hesitant.  She just jumps in does whatever it is time to do.  Now that she has been in school for a week, she still has not had one tiny hesitation about marching right into school all my herself each morning.  She loves it.  She is so proud to be in school like the rest of the kids.  I am proud of her too.

Marlin started Kindergarden at Mrs Harwoods today.  Yesterday was Sunday and Marlin was working on reading his BOB books and working on math on our chalk board.  I noticed that he was pretty intense in his studies.  He was insisting that I help him more and he seemed to be frustrated when he told me "Mom I am working on my math but I only know 1 plus 1 and 2 plus 2."  We sat down and I asked him if he was working this hard because Kindergarden started tomorrow.  He said yes and admitted that he was a little nervous about Kindergarden.  I explained that he did not need to know everything before school started and I was sure that he would do just fine. So, today when I dropped him off he ready.  He walked right in and cautiously put his backpack away and sat at his chair.  Within 30 seconds he was working away on a puzzle and I had trouble getting his attention to tell him goodbye.  That boy has some serious focus.  He is in his own world.  I hope Mrs Harwood can find her way into the world where Marlin lives and get him to focus on what they are doing in school.  I am sure he will have a great year with her.  When I picked him up and asked him how his first day of Kindergarden went he said "It wasn't as fun as I thought it was going to be.  I thought there would be all kinds of kids running around everywhere."  I am not sure what that means.  I sure hope tomorrow is a little more fun for my little man. 

Happy Birthday Alivia Rose

 

Alivia is 6 years old.  She is such a cool person.  Yes she is a little firecracker but she gets that honestly.  She will be starting kindergarten in a few weeks and she is so excited.  She is a little canary.  She is always humming or singing songs.




  We celebrated Alivia's birthday by going to Tropicanoe Cove with Karen and her boys. Then on Saturday we had a birthday party at home with a few friends and family.  Alivia's favorite friends were there, Dori, Elizabeth and Stella.  They were like 4 little peas in a pod walking around, holding hands and giggling. 

We set up the slip and slide since it was 95 degrees and the kids had a great time sliding and playing.

Later in the day, the slip and slide turned into a giant mud puddle and everyone painted themselves in mud and had a huge mud party. 

Overall, it was a good day.
****another post that has lived in drafts for a year :(

Hair Cuts for Everyone

(this post has lived in Drafts for a year. Written in August 2010, posted august 2011)Molly's hair was very uneven so it became time for her first haircut.  Above and below are before shots...

During...

After.  Not very dramatic but the first hair cut is always a little dramatic for Mama so we went with a little trim so I didn't cry.

Next was Alivia.  She has been growing her hair long for over a year.  It has gotten so long that she can not brush it herself.  It was a lot of work and needed to be worn in braids unless we were up for hours  of detangling and screaming and yelling from both of us.  Just kidding about the screaming and yelling...no, actually I'm not kidding :

Before...

Before...

After...
What happened to my baby!?!?!!!!

Then Marlin Man put in his own special request.  He wanted a Mohawk!  We went with a mild cut that could still be a non-mohawk when we didn't use gel.

So far, we have used gel every day.  He loves his Mohawk and I love his sweet face...even with the Mohawk.

Visitors

It was the day of my son's spiderman birthday party.  Matt had gone mushroom hunting with Bob and I was expecting people to start arriving in about 3 hours.  I just needed to pick up a few things around the house before they got there.  The Christmas decorations that had been sitting in the corner of my son's room since we took them down needed put in the attic.  (It was April)  The attic door is in Marlin's room.  I pushed it open but something was in the way.  Something was blocking the attic door from me opening it.  How could something be in the way?  When I shut the door nothing was there. The only way for something to be there, on the other side of the door was for it to have moved there itself!  My heart started beating quickly.  We had been finding LARGE snake skins in our attic for years.  The spring before this Matt had found a huge snake outside our house and we had decided that it was the giant that had been living in our attic.  We released it in the woods far away from our home and all was well.  We hadn't found a snake skin in the attic all year.  But now, there was something in front of the door.
I slowly pushed the door open and peeked around the door.  There is was, the black rat snake that lived in our attic.  It was all coiled up.  My first reaction was to call Matt. Then I remembered that he was in the woods and by the time he would get back it would be gone.  My next idea was to shut the door and pretend that never happened.  If I did that, then I would KNOW that it was still in the attic and it could end up in Marlin's room someday.  I was going to have to catch it myself.

A little background...this was not the first black rat snake I would have to handle.  I had given hundreds of reptile programs as a naturalist at Turkey Run State Park and at the Calusa Nature Center where I had worked.  I had lectured endless numbers of people about how harmless these snakes were and how there was nothing to worry about.  I knew how to handle the snake and what to do.  I DID NOT WANT TO TOUCH THIS SNAKE. 

Matt's mom was downstairs in the kitchen preparing the food for the party.  If she knew what was going on she would run back to Kentucky before Bob could even get the truck started.   I needed something.  Something I could use to catch the snake.  I calmly walked through the house, through the kitchen looking for the perfect tool.  I found Marlin's nerf sword in the laundry room and brought it upstairs.  I opened the attic door and put the sword on the head of the snake so it couldn't strike.  Then I picked it up behind the head and walked downstairs.  Alivia met me at the bottom of the stairs and her eyes became as large as saucers.  "Open the door before Granny sees this"  I said as I held the 6 foot long snake in my hands.  Alivia opened the door and then ran into the kitchen to tell Granny what was going on.  Granny looked through the window and I could hear her from inside the house yelling "Where did you get that thing?". 

I took the snake way out into the woods and set it free.  The lesson to be learned is put away your Christmas decorations before it is warm enough for the snakes to be out in the attic. 

Your World or Mine?

After an 8 hour work day I pick up the kids and bring them home.  The usual routine is to be to the kitchen and start preparing their dinner.  It is a balancing act of keeping them happy, and getting the things done that I need to do. 

While I cook, the kids either play together inside or outside, or they sit at the table and do puzzles, color, paint or work in their workbooks, or they fight like cats and dogs.  I try to keep the kitchen halfway clean, throw a load of laundry in the washer and keep the kids from destroying the rest of the house.  There are about three hours for us to cook dinner, eat dinner, take baths, have quality family time and go to bed. 


Sometimes I give up on all my things I need to do and just jump into thier world instead.  Last night I made  a roast during the day so I didn't have to cook.  Instead I followed the kids into the girls room.  We listened to music, climbed on the bed, talked about barbies and giggled.  It was so easy, they were so good.  I must remember to stop and follow them into their world more often.  

Note to self, buy lottery tickets, need maid and cook:)

Molly Moo Turns Two

Dear Molly,
I could just sit and watch you for hours.  You are the happiest person I have ever met.  You have a giant belly laugh that you use all the time.  Everything makes you laugh.  I hope you keep this ability to enjoy the little things in your life.  Not only are you happy, but you are growing and changing so fast.

You talk non stop.  You say everything Alivia says (good and bad)  You also copy everyone else.  There are plenty of original words and thoughts comming out of your mouth too.


This week you started calling me Angie, and you think it is funny.  You love baby dolls and spend hours placing them in chairs, laps, strollers, tables, floors and beds then covering them with blankets.  You take your babies everywhere.

You are one tough cookie in a tiny package of cuteness.  Your blonde hair and blue eyes fool everyone when they meet you.  I just let them visit with your for a while and it never fails that they come to me and say "Wow, she is a tough little one isn't she!"  You have no idea that you are not as big as all the older kids that you play with.   Not only do you already think you are 10 feet tall but you have NO FEAR.  You will jump into a pool by yourself.  You actually get mad when swimming because you want us to LET GO.  You climb the highest equipment at every playground we go to and you insist on being in the middle of the action at all times.

I guess no fear isn't exactly accurate.  You do not like loud noises like the neighbor's go cart or the lawn mower.  You are afraid of the tiny fan at the top of the stairs, but not of climbing up and down our huge steep wooden stairs.  You are also afraid of Rugar's (Grandma and Granpa's dog) rawhide chew bone.  What is that all about?


As you grow and change from a baby into a little girl I continue to be amazed.  I learn from you every day
You are my second daughter and my third child but definitely second to none.  You are your own person and have  been since the day I met you.  I love discovering who you are and wondering who you will be.  I love you with all my heart.  Happy Birthday baby girl.

HOT!

Molly has a constant stream of noise comming from her mouth.  She copies what people say, she joins in on conversations and talks right along, she talks to herself, she talks to her toys, and she sings...a lot. 

Molly and I were in the garden today picking this weeks veggies.  I had half a grocery bag of broccoli, brussel sprouts and eggplant when her wining became more than I could take.  (I didn't even start to pick the green beans) So our conversation went like this;


Me: ok Molly we can go back to the house.  Are you hot? 
Molly:  Yeah, HOT (hahahaha big laugh of happiness from molly after she talked because I know what she is going through and we are going inside)


As we walked back to the house she said "Me hot"
I said "Are YOU hot?"
Molly:  "no ME!"
Me:  "You are hot?"
Molly: "No I!"
Me: " I am hot?"
Molly: "Yeah" (another big laugh as she was relieved to be understood.)

The English language is rough when you are one...