John David's News

Last Friday afternoon the boys and I were outside playing. The boys love riding their bikes in the cul-de-sac since they can now ride in the street. One of our neighbors had grandchildren living with them. The youngest one is a year older than John David but in second grade.

David and I have never let the boys play in the front yard alone. Now it is a big deal to me that they are ridng in the street. There 6 houses and 5 driveways on our street. The boys know their limits not to go past the last mailbox. They are good to push their limits including Drew.

As the boys were going down the hill of our driveway, one of John David's training wheels came off. (The other one has been lose and we have been tightening it up.) He didn't seem to mind but wanted to leave the other one on so the bike could still stand up. A few minutes later, he changed his mind. The two older boys tried taking it off themselves but were unsuccessful. I got it off and he took off down the driveway. He was soooooo proud of himself! Stopping the first time involved running into the side of the garage. He has gotten much better at stopping and starting.

Now EVERY minute he wants to be riding his bike. Both boys were up by 7:15 Saturday morning and they were outside by 7:45 am riding bikes!

Preschool

***Sorry this is so late. :(

Two weeks ago Drew and I started back to preschool. He is in the same classroom with new teachers and some new classmates. He wasn't very cooperative to take pics that morning. Mrs. Courtney & Mrs. Mary Anne are his teachers. He loves going to school. It is different only having one child at preschool instead of 2.

I am teaching the pre-K group again. I have 11 kiddos although none of them have been there all at once. I knew most of them but some are new to preschool. Two of the kiddos are my MGM friends' kids. I have never had such close friends as my students' parents. I am looking forward to this school year. I have a full agenda this year and not as much time-doesn't that sound like public school teachers?

At the end of the day we run out so we can get to John David. He is usually one of the last ones on my work days but it doesn't seem to bother him.

Drew

Drew has had his world rocked by "bubba" going to school this year. Although Drew corrects anyone that "bubba doesn't go to school, he goes to 'in'er'arten'". It is too cute!!! My brother thinks it's funny and has never heard anyone say kindergarten without any consonants.

Two weeks ago we bought Drew new mattresses. Ever since we moved he has sleeping on the crib mattress which laid on the floor. We didn't think it was worth setting up the 3-sided crib since it will be the full-size headboard for the guest room. Drew has loved his "big boy bed" with a "big boy pillow". The mattresses are still on the floor because we wanted to make sure he wouldn't roll off. He has done very well staying on his mattress. Here is a shot of his bed. He and John David couldn't decide who would get the striped sheets so one got the fitted sheet & pillow case and the other one got the flat sheet. They don't match but who cares! They agreed and didn't fight which was more important!

We are working on potty training. Some days are better than others. It all started before we moved when he wanted to start sitting on the potty. Bad timing but I didn't want to discourage progress. Rarely is it underwear alone but over a diaper or wearing a pull-up. I am a lot more calm through this period than I was with John David. We are starting eariler with Drew than John David, too. I have learned that he will be potty trained by Kindergarten. :)

Thursday morning as David and I were talking we heard a rip, rip, and then heard him go potty all by himself! We were surprised & excited! He was very proud of himself! Since we have been swimming alot I quickly ran out of swim diapers. He has done very well getting out of the pool to go potty in the backyard (of course). Since he likes to jump in the pool all of the time like John David it was easy to notice when it was time to go to the bathroom.

Here is a picture of "Bruiser" taken Thursday night. He was flossing his teeth but more important are his pjs. He loves the pjs with balls on them but he has been wearing them for a while now. As you can see they don't fit the same as they did probably a year ago. I am pretty sure they were John David's. I guess I'll have to find some more pjs with balls on them for his birthday or Christmas.

Life as I know it now

Life has certainly changed recently from moving into a new home, kindergartener, and many other things. It was an adjustment to go to work this week for teacher workdays and only have one child with me. Drew and I have kept busy surprisingly it hasn't always been going to the gym. It seems like I have been running lots of errands. We have had some repairmen out to the house and I always seem to schedule more than one on the same day. Yesterday was the electrician installing some new lights and the blind lady (Budget Blinds) came to give us an estimate. (She isn't really blind.) We have 2" metal blinds that are bent and some missing a turn rod. Our dream is to buy beautiful shutters on each of the windows. We didn't realize until yesterday there are 33 windows to be covered! Too much money for all at once!

Drew's naps have moved up earlier in the day to allow for a 2 hour nap. Naps are still so important in our home! John David has fallen asleep in the car a few times in the past two weeks as we were running errands after school. I tell you his attitude has changed, too! I can tell he is so tired and is short-tempered after going to school all day long.

Another big change has been John David buying his lunch. The first week of school he took his lunch everyday but buying intriguied him. Tuesday of this week was the first time he had the courage to do it. I had sent a check on Monday not knowing his plans. He doesn't want me to tell him the menu. He wants the teacher to tell him what is for lunch. He explained the standing up and sitting down in the mornings to tell the teacher about their lunch choices. He has loved buying his lunch everyday since Tuesday!!! When we ask what he ate, he usually chooses fruit and chocolate milk but I don't hear of any veggies. He doesn't want my sandwiches which were a hit in preschool! (His preschool teacher even requested his sandwiches.) The menu given to us includes 2 entrees and a third vegetarian entree which I've never seen in a school. It doesn't list the sides so I can't guide him in which choices to make at lunch.

Oh, to be losing control of knowing everything! I have usually had a good idea of what went on in preschool. I learned more about their days when I started working up there. Last year, I saw alot of what activities he did and who he played with at school. This year we know NO ONE in Kindergarten. I know it is a great opportunity to become more plugged in to our school and community. God does have some great plans for my little boy and us!

As we drove to school one day this week, he saw a kid at the crosswalk. "Mom, there's Danny. He is my best friend." Mind you he couldn't remember who he played with at school for the first 6 or so days. I tried remembering names I had seen of people at his table and others on the class list which wasn't over 5. I ask but he can never remember other names.

Today at lunch Drew and I went to Chick-Fil-A. It is the first time he and I had gone there without John David. We have a routine of ordering, eating, and then playing. I can tell you our order is always under $13 for our 2 kids meals & my sandwich. I order one 4 piece with fruit and a 6 piece with fries. For myself, I get a sandwich & drink. We all eat on the fruit before I even begin to pull out the fries with our meal. Today as I drove there, I realized I was only getting 1 kids meal and had to decide fruit or fries. We ended up with fries. I didn't have the heart to make him (& me) eat none of their yummy fries. :) My boys and I always finish our food there unlike my friends who order one kids meal for two kids and they still don't finish it. I can't imagine my boys not eating all of their fast food meals.

David took John David to school one day this week. I stayed home to finish getting Drew and I ready for Meet the Teacher at our own preschool. I explained to David how our routine works in dropping John David off. It really surprised David that John David hopped out of the car and walked into the building without any assistance. David stayed in the same spot until John David disappeared into the building almost getting in trouble by the Safety Patrol for not moving on quickly. It is a totally different actually dropping him off rather than listening to someone else do it. David also got to help pick up one afternoon during the first week.

Things are going well and we are all adjusting to our new way of life. Do I enjoy it? YES! God has given us many blessings and we are very thankful. I hope this post doesn't sound depressing. I wanted to fill you in on little things going on around here.