Monkeying around

We've known for quite a while now that Brennan is a monkey. Sometimes I seriously think he'd be right at home in the jungle. I think we call him "Monkey" at least a dozen times a day. And a couple days ago he proved this true even more.

I was cleaning up in the kitchen and the kids had gone off to play in the living room. Then, coming from his room, I heard a whining and shrieking a little like he does when he's frustrated. Usually if he can't get something to open or work the way he wants. So I didn't rush in. After another minute or two it was a full-blown cry. So I decided to go help him. But when I went in his room I didn't see him. Of course that would be because I was looking at knee-level, where an 18-month old would normally be found. I turned to see if he had gotten behind the gliding chair when I saw him. And he was taller than me. Because he was standing on his changing table. Yep. Of course. Why didn't I look there to begin with?

I'm just thankful he didn't try to get down by himself.

Soccer Mom

Well, it's official. Kaelyn had her first soccer practice last week. You can now call me a soccer mom.

But let's just say it wasn't the best practice ever. 

I love her technique on the push ups. I'll have to have her teach me that.

She was getting a little frustrated during the keep-away game, decided she didn't like it, started crying and came and sat by me for at least 15 minutes.

She also spent about half the practice either itching her eczema or picking her nose and licking it. Yep, she's the nose picker on the team.

But she did try for most of the practice. And, in her defense when I took her temperature later that night it was almost 101 and she woke up with croup early the next morning. So... I guess she wasn't feeling too well and that may have led to the meltdown during keep-away.

The funniest part was probably that she also started crying on the way home "because she only wanted to get one drink of water during practice and she got two." What?! Ok, Kaelyn. Next time only take one drink of water then.

Oh, and I struggled to keep Brennan off the field. He wanted to go play with his big sister and other big kids so badly.

And can I tell you the truth?  As much as I'm sure I will love watching them play, I'm really not looking forward to the real Soccer Mom years. Running from one practice to another and eating dinner in the car. I mean, I know it's good for them to be active and involved in things but I really love our quiet evening routines at home. And I already feel busy with just two mornings of preschool and two nights of soccer a week.  I guess I'm a bit of a homebody.  I'll have to really cherish and appreciate the evenings we have for the next couple of years before it gets really crazy around here.

What a difference a year makes

Kaelyn had her first day of her second year of preschool last week.  It could not have gone more smoothly.  She barely even said good-bye when I dropped her off. And she definitely didn't turn around to wave or see me one last time (sniff, little tear). Last year didn't go quite as well. Though not horribly.  Last year we did a lot of build up and discussion to prepare her for it. We read "The Kissing Hand" and I even gave her a special sticker to wear that she could look at whenever she missed me. I was of course wearing the same sticker.  We still had some tears and the teacher said she got a little weepy during the first couple weeks. And we actually had a total meltdown, not on drop off, but on pick up when she didn't get to take her school supplies home with her.

This year we mentioned school a few times and went to the Open House at the beginning of the month. But it honestly kind of snuck up on me. Probably because her first day was the day after her birthday.  Anyway, after I picked her up today (her second day) the teacher seemed impressed and said she did great. She's an old pro now.

First Day 2011

First Day 2012

I interviewed her about her first day when I picked her up. The biggest thing she remembered was that they got to play on the playground and there were slides. (They're in a new building this year and they didn't have a playground last year.) They had crackers shaped like bugs for snack. She played with Lily, a friend from last year.  Aubrey is in her class this year, not Audrey (a friend from last year). She played with the color sorting teddy bears. They sang the welcome song, which she remembered most of from last year. The teacher read them "Around the Cherry Tree." Some of the kids had jobs but she didn't get a job today. 

And that was her first day of preschool when she was 4-years old.

Four

Oh boy! How did four years go by so fast?! My little baby girl is all grown up. Well, not quite. But it sure feels like it.

Kaelyn's favorites right now (all according to her):
Color: red. pink and black. and orange and green
Princess: Jasmine and Rapunzel
Food: grilled cheese
Show: Octonauts
Movie: Pretty Belle (Beauty and the Beast)
Game: Mickey's Road Rally (iPad app)
Thing to do with Bren: play in castle and vanity
Thing to do with Dada: be silly
Thing to do with Mama: reading
Thing to do with friends: going to the park
Book: 10 Little Rubber Ducks, by Eric Carle
Animal: Tiger and a lion
Song: Princess Song (If You Can Dream, from her Disney Princess CD)
Restaurant: Steak N Shake
Drink: Lemonade
Person on TV: Brian Williams (I like Rapunzel too)

And here are a "few" pictures from the week long celebration of her birthday and revolving door of sweets and general smorgasbord of food.

Very excited for her cupcake celebration with Uncle Joey (and Maya)

Homemade princess crown for her party. Cute. Unfortunately it didn't stay on very well. Guess Mama needs to measure better next time.

I tried not to go overboard on decorations and planning, but I had to do something. Besides, I already had all the material I needed and a princess requires a little something fancy.

Reading a new book with Auntie Care-Care.

The strawberry princess cake she requested. I think she would have been more excited for Disney princesses on it, but she was still satisfied with this.

Jasmine doll. The only thing she asked for this year.

On the giant climbing contraption at The Commons in Columbus. We were quite impressed with her fearlessness.

Climbing. She would have gone on for hours if we hadn't stopped her to go to her birthday dinner.

She made a few friends while she was up there and joined a "club."

Waiting for her special birthday treat at Zaharakos. (With the special prize she got at dinner - a magnifying glass.)

A double scoop of raspberry chocolate chip with whipped cream and a cherry on top. What better way to cap off her fourth birthday. (She didn't even finish half.)

Not so puzzled??

Ok, so I couldn't think of a good title for this. Kaelyn's been into doing puzzles again lately.  Around the time Brennan was born she would do puzzles all the time. And there were three - Princess, monkeys and Halloween - that she could do completely by herself in like no time at all.  But then I guess she got puzzled out and hadn't been doing them as much and always wanted help when she did.

A couple weeks ago she started pulling out the puzzles more again. And a couple days ago she did this 100 piece puzzle entirely by herself. And it's kinda tricky. Even for me.

Seriously. I did not touch one piece. Ok, maybe I picked one up off the ground when it fell. 

It took her about 24 hours, but hey, you know 3-year-olds get distracted easily. But I loved how she would sit and work on it quietly and intently for like 15 or 20 minutes at a time. Or while she was eating.

Nice work sweetie!

Who needs words

... when you have expressions like this:

This is my favorite. We see this one a lot.

Brennan is at that age where he doesn't have all the words he needs to express himself and his deepest wants and desires, so he gets frustrated very easily (also very frustrating for some of the adults). And he doesn't leave much to our imagination. He has become quite adept at communicating his frustration, even if he can't tell us what it is he's upset about. Sometimes it's really hard to take him seriously with those faces and it's all I can do not to laugh and really hurt his feelings.

Unfortunately he uses more than his face to express his frustration sometimes. I'm talking head-butting, hitting, kicking, throwing things. I don't think we had to deal with this much with Kaelyn since she was such an early and proficient talker (which raises other problems all together). Plus she had our 100% undivided attention at the time. I may have to go back and re-read my positive discipline books to figure out exactly how to deal with this. And pray that it's just a phase which he'll outgrow once he learns how to say more words.

He really is usually such a sweet and silly boy.