Gabe's job at preschool this week is to raise the flag. We asked him if he is learning the Pledge of Allegiance, and he said yes. Here's how he started out: "I pledge allegience to the flag of the United States of America, and to the repulicans..."
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Here's the scoop
I am now a MOPS mommy. I wasn't sure about it, but a friend invited me to try it out and it was actually nice. It falls right during school for Gabe so I can drop him off and not worry about him and they have childcare for Malachi and he loved it. A whole morning to hang out with other women...it was nice. Malachi enjoys being out places, so we have also added to our schedule library story time and Play Pals which is just a bunch of outdoor type toys set up in the gym at the rec center for preschool age kids to play with. It's nice during the winter.
Yesterday the boys were playing with their stash of Mardi Gras-type beads and Gabe told me to pick one. I selected the green one. He stood back and looked at me and said, "No, you need the pink one. It's more fashioner." (He meant fashionable.) I wore my fashioner pink beads for most of the day, even in public, but unfortunately they are cheap and I accidentally broke it. Oops.
Gabe's tantrums have hit an all time low (high? whatever...I mean they are frequent and worse than ever). We are trying everything we know, but we have no idea what is triggering it. He is all settled in to the apartment, has all his stuff. He likes school and is making friends; we have talked to his teachers to be sure he is fitting in and with the kids, not off by himself. We are just very confused right now. We have even considered trying martial arts since it is supposed to teach courtesy, self-control, etc. but the only place that teaches 4 year olds focuses on having fun. I want him to enjoy it, but I don't want a kid who hasn't learned to focus and control himself, but now knows how to really punch or kick. We are open to suggestions. We looked into therapy, but we can't afford it. It just has to stop because Chi is picking up on it. Plus, he's such a great kid when he's not acting up. I want to enjoy him without worrying about when the next explosion is coming.
Yesterday the boys were playing with their stash of Mardi Gras-type beads and Gabe told me to pick one. I selected the green one. He stood back and looked at me and said, "No, you need the pink one. It's more fashioner." (He meant fashionable.) I wore my fashioner pink beads for most of the day, even in public, but unfortunately they are cheap and I accidentally broke it. Oops.
Gabe's tantrums have hit an all time low (high? whatever...I mean they are frequent and worse than ever). We are trying everything we know, but we have no idea what is triggering it. He is all settled in to the apartment, has all his stuff. He likes school and is making friends; we have talked to his teachers to be sure he is fitting in and with the kids, not off by himself. We are just very confused right now. We have even considered trying martial arts since it is supposed to teach courtesy, self-control, etc. but the only place that teaches 4 year olds focuses on having fun. I want him to enjoy it, but I don't want a kid who hasn't learned to focus and control himself, but now knows how to really punch or kick. We are open to suggestions. We looked into therapy, but we can't afford it. It just has to stop because Chi is picking up on it. Plus, he's such a great kid when he's not acting up. I want to enjoy him without worrying about when the next explosion is coming.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
The boys
Yesterday Gabe came twirling through the living room and said, "Albus Dumbledore." I have no idea why, but it was great. Random and completely funny. Unfortunately, this week Gabe didn't have much school; three out of five were cancelled due to the weather. He was supposed to bring snack one of those days that was cancelled and he was so sad that he couldn't bring snack. Luckily, one of the other parents was happy to give up their snack day so Gabe can bring it on Monday. He took a lot of time to figure out what to bring and finally settled on applesauce, graham crackers (Scooby snacks, specifically), and milk. Only problem was I like the Scooby snacks too, so when I thought he'd just missed out on snack day, I opened the box, so then we had to go get another box.
It is amazing how much he learned in two days though. It was "Snake Week" and man did he learn every basic fact about snakes. It helps that they got to see and touch a real one. Someone who brings snakes around for education came to the school on Wednesday. Gabe will talk forever about all he learned. He used to just be afraid of snakes, but I don't think he is anymore. When he talks about how snakes don't blink he says they just hold their eyes open like this, and then he open his eyes very wide and tries very hard not to blink for as long as he can.
Malachi doesn't like it when Daddy leaves. He has taken to go and standing in front of the door when Matt puts his coat on, like he's trying to block him in. We have been letting him try using a spoon. A lot gets everywhere but his mouth, but he's doing really good. Two days ago most of the applesauce must have made it into his mouth because there wasn't any spilled, just some smeared on his face and arms.
He had his one year check up and he is doing just fine. Healthy. He has two teeth now. Poor little guy had to have four vaccination shots and then a finger poke to draw blood. They check the hemoglobin and for lead exposure. We haven't had the results of that yet, but I'm not worried.
The funny thing that Chi does is that he will randomly run through the room with his arms above his head, roaring. It's like he's in attack mode. But most of the time he ends it by running up to us for a hug.
Hugs are great. One of the best parts of parenthood.
It is amazing how much he learned in two days though. It was "Snake Week" and man did he learn every basic fact about snakes. It helps that they got to see and touch a real one. Someone who brings snakes around for education came to the school on Wednesday. Gabe will talk forever about all he learned. He used to just be afraid of snakes, but I don't think he is anymore. When he talks about how snakes don't blink he says they just hold their eyes open like this, and then he open his eyes very wide and tries very hard not to blink for as long as he can.
Malachi doesn't like it when Daddy leaves. He has taken to go and standing in front of the door when Matt puts his coat on, like he's trying to block him in. We have been letting him try using a spoon. A lot gets everywhere but his mouth, but he's doing really good. Two days ago most of the applesauce must have made it into his mouth because there wasn't any spilled, just some smeared on his face and arms.
He had his one year check up and he is doing just fine. Healthy. He has two teeth now. Poor little guy had to have four vaccination shots and then a finger poke to draw blood. They check the hemoglobin and for lead exposure. We haven't had the results of that yet, but I'm not worried.
The funny thing that Chi does is that he will randomly run through the room with his arms above his head, roaring. It's like he's in attack mode. But most of the time he ends it by running up to us for a hug.
Hugs are great. One of the best parts of parenthood.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
This, then that
What a week. We got into our new apartment on Saturday and Jeff came to help us get stuff moved in. But then freezing rain hit and we had to stop, before we got our bed moved, so Matt and I are still on an air mattress. The boys have beds and we have living room furniture, dining table and chairs and enough kitchen stuff to cook. A friend offered to help this weekend, so we should get the rest of the big furniture soon.
Gabe was supposed to start school on Monday, but schools were delayed due to weather which cancels morning preschool. So we had to deal with first day jitters two days in a row. He seemed to really like it the first day, but then Wednesday was a bad day. He feels that two kids were making fun of him, but he may have just been overly sensitive when they were telling him the rules. So, then he spent three hours this morning trying to get out of going to school. Today was a better day though. It will take time to fit in since these kids have been together since the beginning of the school year, but I honestly didn't think it would be so hard in preschool. I do have concern as to whether or not the teachers are helping him fit in or not, but they addressed some of our concerns today so we will have to see how it goes. He also needs to learn that in a group of people, you won't necessarily like or get along well with everyone. He needs to learn how to deal with that.
Then Wednesday, Matt comes home to inform me that he lost his job. He had no idea what happened, he just got an email informing him that ISU refused his employment. Well, it turns out that bureaucracy reared its ugly head. Someone checked the wrong box on a form and that meant he wasn't eligible for the job, so they redid the paperwork, this time checking the right box and viola! he still has a job.
Seriously! Could anything just go smoothly for us?
Chi is one tomorrow! We are gearing up to celebrate. Gabe is going to help make his cake, and mom got him a Birthday Boy outfit to wear. So the week of ups and downs should end up.
Gabe was supposed to start school on Monday, but schools were delayed due to weather which cancels morning preschool. So we had to deal with first day jitters two days in a row. He seemed to really like it the first day, but then Wednesday was a bad day. He feels that two kids were making fun of him, but he may have just been overly sensitive when they were telling him the rules. So, then he spent three hours this morning trying to get out of going to school. Today was a better day though. It will take time to fit in since these kids have been together since the beginning of the school year, but I honestly didn't think it would be so hard in preschool. I do have concern as to whether or not the teachers are helping him fit in or not, but they addressed some of our concerns today so we will have to see how it goes. He also needs to learn that in a group of people, you won't necessarily like or get along well with everyone. He needs to learn how to deal with that.
Then Wednesday, Matt comes home to inform me that he lost his job. He had no idea what happened, he just got an email informing him that ISU refused his employment. Well, it turns out that bureaucracy reared its ugly head. Someone checked the wrong box on a form and that meant he wasn't eligible for the job, so they redid the paperwork, this time checking the right box and viola! he still has a job.
Seriously! Could anything just go smoothly for us?
Chi is one tomorrow! We are gearing up to celebrate. Gabe is going to help make his cake, and mom got him a Birthday Boy outfit to wear. So the week of ups and downs should end up.
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