Thursday, May 21, 2015
Last day of school
William is completing 2nd grade and Amelia is completing 1st grade!
Gemma is just silly!
Friday, May 15, 2015
Chicka chicka boom boom..hey batter batter!
This one goes out to grandpa Kevin!
Last month, Gemma started saying,"hey batter batter!" I suspect there was something at preschool with this phrase as I can't imagine she heard it at home (nothing wrong with it- just not something we talk about with any frequency at home). The last time my parents were in town, my dad found this very entertaining.
She has become obsessed with the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom video.
Here is her mash up of the chicka chicka boom boom song and hey batter batter.
Last month, Gemma started saying,"hey batter batter!" I suspect there was something at preschool with this phrase as I can't imagine she heard it at home (nothing wrong with it- just not something we talk about with any frequency at home). The last time my parents were in town, my dad found this very entertaining.
She has become obsessed with the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom video.
Here is her mash up of the chicka chicka boom boom song and hey batter batter.
Amelia's first beam routine
Amelia and William started gymnastics last week. Amelia has been begging and begging for gymnastics for almost an entire year. Gymnastics is expensive. Very expensive, so it has been a no for Amelia. However, I have picked up a few hours at work recently. Enough to cover some gymnastics for both kiddos for a short session until we figure out if they like it or not.
Amelia adored everything. She loved her teacher and all the skills they were working on. There is quite a bit of overlap with ballet and gymnastic skills technique. The rest she is picking up quickly. She cannot wait to go back.
This video is of Amelia's beam routine. I am so proud of her! This was her first night with beam instruction. Prior to this video, she had about 15 minutes of instruction time with a little practice. The rest of the group has a showcase performance next week. Amelia won't be participating in the showcase, but she does very well with the routine for so little practice and instruction time.
William was very apprehensive about the class. His biggest concern was having to wear a something pink or having to wear a leotard. After some reassurance, he agreed to try it. Once only though.
He came out dripping wet. He worked so hard during his hour long class. He has a male instructor and is in a class of only boys. They work on the skills for male gymnasts.
William is part monkey, so the rings, bars and climbing stuff comes naturally for him. He did very well. He adored the trampoline exercises and the part where he got to jump into the foam pit. When he came out, he was sweaty from working so hard with a huge smile on his face. He has agreed to keep going for the rest of this month.
I'm trying to figure out how to add piano lessons to the mix next fall as well...more reworking of the budget to stretch it a little further is in the works!
Amelia adored everything. She loved her teacher and all the skills they were working on. There is quite a bit of overlap with ballet and gymnastic skills technique. The rest she is picking up quickly. She cannot wait to go back.
This video is of Amelia's beam routine. I am so proud of her! This was her first night with beam instruction. Prior to this video, she had about 15 minutes of instruction time with a little practice. The rest of the group has a showcase performance next week. Amelia won't be participating in the showcase, but she does very well with the routine for so little practice and instruction time.
William was very apprehensive about the class. His biggest concern was having to wear a something pink or having to wear a leotard. After some reassurance, he agreed to try it. Once only though.
He came out dripping wet. He worked so hard during his hour long class. He has a male instructor and is in a class of only boys. They work on the skills for male gymnasts.
William is part monkey, so the rings, bars and climbing stuff comes naturally for him. He did very well. He adored the trampoline exercises and the part where he got to jump into the foam pit. When he came out, he was sweaty from working so hard with a huge smile on his face. He has agreed to keep going for the rest of this month.
I'm trying to figure out how to add piano lessons to the mix next fall as well...more reworking of the budget to stretch it a little further is in the works!
It's that time of year again!
Thursday, May 14, 2015
The equator
We were driving in the van. The van has a compass and temperature gauge built into the windshield, which prompts occasional discussions.
I am guessing Amelia's class has been talking about map skills and compasses as she has been especially interested recently.
This particular time, Amelia was noticing the temperature and the direction we were going. We drove to the SE and then turned around the corner, which put us driving south.
We drove one block when Amelia made this observation:
"Mom! I don't understand it! When we left home, the temperature was 68 degrees. Then we drove south, which means we are getting closer to the equator. Why didn't the temperature increase???? I know when you get closer to the equator, the temperature should increase."
We then had a discussion about how big the earth was and the relative distance to the equator.
Normal stuff for a 6 year old, right.
Sent from my iPhone
I am guessing Amelia's class has been talking about map skills and compasses as she has been especially interested recently.
This particular time, Amelia was noticing the temperature and the direction we were going. We drove to the SE and then turned around the corner, which put us driving south.
We drove one block when Amelia made this observation:
"Mom! I don't understand it! When we left home, the temperature was 68 degrees. Then we drove south, which means we are getting closer to the equator. Why didn't the temperature increase???? I know when you get closer to the equator, the temperature should increase."
We then had a discussion about how big the earth was and the relative distance to the equator.
Normal stuff for a 6 year old, right.
Sent from my iPhone
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Mother's Day
This time of year is so crazy! There is so much to be done to wrap up the school year and get the summer organized! The last two weeks have been a blur!
This morning, John let me sleep in while he made breakfast with the kids. We enjoyed blueberry muffins and scrambled eggs very much!
Then, we had a few gifts to open and took a few pictures still in our pjs.
I got to go for a run- it was way too humid to be enjoyable, but it is nice to take the opportunity when it presents itself. William asked to run the last mile with me- nothing like those energetic 8 year old legs to spur you on for the last mile!
I snagged a shower and a nap this afternoon.
John made dinner - we had steaks on the grill, goat cheese (not on the grill) and molasses cake for dessert. It was a very, very nice day!
Race end
Ready, set, go!
Of source, when Gemma saw the big kids running, she immediately wanted to be part of it! Since it was a small affair, the organizers said it would be okay if Gemma ran too! I was so impressed! Gemma ran a total of 2 laps, which equals out to 2/7 of a mile! Go Gemma!
We were also super impressed with the big kids. They ran the WHOLE THING! Both of them! We are so proud! Neither kid walked even a portion of their mile! Wow!
Monkey see
Answer: filing her fingernails. Just like grandma does.
My breakfast companion
Note: the glasses are a pair that came with a doll. They are not prescription and do not have any correction.
Note the third photo. She is wearing a pair of pink tights over her pajamas. She found this pair of tights a few weeks ago. She knows that Amelia wears tights to go to ballet class. Gemma is desperate to go to ballet class. So, she has taken to carrying this pair of tights everywhere. That day, she agreed to take off the tights. But, we still had to take them with us. We brought the tights to the library, grocery store and to the park. Kids are so weird.
Overdue
This is terrible! Amelia lost her second tooth almost 2 weeks ago! She went in for her regular dentist appointment and the left side bottom front tooth was just hanging on by a thread. The dentist asked her if she wanted some help pulling it out or if she wanted it left alone. When she heard she would get to pick 2 toys from the toy chest, the deal was sealed.
Here she is modeling her new crown and new slinky toy after the tooth was removed (gently, without trauma).
Sent from my iPhone
Here she is modeling her new crown and new slinky toy after the tooth was removed (gently, without trauma).
Sent from my iPhone
Gemma
We were at our usual Saturday morning soccer game. William was with a gaggle of boys playing electronics and Gemma found a set of small people to play with. This Saturday, there was only 1 other little guy to play with. This did not stop her one bit.
She would play for awhile and then run back for a few moments to check in with us. Then she was off again to play. One one trip back to us, I asked Gemma who she was playing with (I already knew the answer was a friend named Cole).
Gemma's response: I playing with my boyfriend.
I have to tell you. My heart stopped for a just a moment. I was not ready to compute a child of mine having a boyfriend.
Just to be sure I was understanding, I asked again: Who are you playing with, Gemma? Is it a boy who is a friend?
She looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"Yes, mom. I playing with my boyfriend."
And then she was off running again.
She would play for awhile and then run back for a few moments to check in with us. Then she was off again to play. One one trip back to us, I asked Gemma who she was playing with (I already knew the answer was a friend named Cole).
Gemma's response: I playing with my boyfriend.
I have to tell you. My heart stopped for a just a moment. I was not ready to compute a child of mine having a boyfriend.
Just to be sure I was understanding, I asked again: Who are you playing with, Gemma? Is it a boy who is a friend?
She looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"Yes, mom. I playing with my boyfriend."
And then she was off running again.
Whistle Blower
Gemma does not know how to whistle. It is one of those things that is hard about being the youngest. You see all the neat stuff your older siblings are doing and then want to do it all now. Right now.
The big kids can whistle, although it isn't something they do ALL THE TIME as they did when they first learned.
I suspect the preschool Gemma attends a few days a week has a whistle they use on the playground. I'm assuming they use it like a life guard does- when someone is doing something wrong, they blow their whistle.
Gemma has taken to "whistling" herself. She makes her lips into an "O" shape and she says "hooo". She sounds sort of like a cute owl.
There are multiple occasions Gemma will whistle:
1. When she hears anyone else whistling at all.
2. When someone else is doing something dangerous. Examples of this are: William jumping off the couch, Amelia dangling herself off the top bunk of her bunk bed, and Daddy climbing a ladder. Interestingly enough, the whistle does not apply to herself ever. Not even when she herself is jumping off the bunk bed or climbing onto the counter top.
3. When she doesn't like something or when something hurts. Most often this happens when I am (trying) to brush her hair in the morning. Or evening. Really anything happening with her hair. I start brushing and she will starting hooting away.
The big kids can whistle, although it isn't something they do ALL THE TIME as they did when they first learned.
I suspect the preschool Gemma attends a few days a week has a whistle they use on the playground. I'm assuming they use it like a life guard does- when someone is doing something wrong, they blow their whistle.
Gemma has taken to "whistling" herself. She makes her lips into an "O" shape and she says "hooo". She sounds sort of like a cute owl.
There are multiple occasions Gemma will whistle:
1. When she hears anyone else whistling at all.
2. When someone else is doing something dangerous. Examples of this are: William jumping off the couch, Amelia dangling herself off the top bunk of her bunk bed, and Daddy climbing a ladder. Interestingly enough, the whistle does not apply to herself ever. Not even when she herself is jumping off the bunk bed or climbing onto the counter top.
3. When she doesn't like something or when something hurts. Most often this happens when I am (trying) to brush her hair in the morning. Or evening. Really anything happening with her hair. I start brushing and she will starting hooting away.
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