The kids were a real help in the garden, and Colin has taken a real interest in it. I built an arch, and each morning he goes out to make sure their "arms" are wrapped around the chicken wire. He also checks to see if any $&*#$%! rabbits have been eating our plants, and makes a mental note to pee around anything that has been nibbled (this is mom approved). Blair shows an interest too, but doesn't quite have the gentlest touch. That just comes with time! I'm happy whenever they come out to help.
With the warmer weather, we were able to get outside and check out some new hiking trails and parks. We have found some new favorites and have been able to rediscover fun things about ones we had already been to.
Colin takes a mini spiral notebook with us on hikes to record his findings <3
And even when we don't travel, we try to stay outside. I throw everything I can at them to keep them entertained, but more often than not they pretend they are dogs or dinosaurs or their favorite go-to, zombies. Just hopefully they don't turn into chalk eating zombies, because I don't have the pockets or time for that.
I told Colin I would build him a fire but all the sticks had to be from our neighbor's yard. So he picked them all up for her!
I am obsessed with his artwork!
My feeble attempts at education are laughable. In my eyes, Colin has plenty of time to learn, but his time to play grows shorter everyday. As much as I can I try to do schoolwork with him (even though his teacher was like, "Nah go play") and try to seize learning opportunities when they present themselves, but otherwise...nah, go play.
Grandma Karen sent some Plants v Zombies stickers to Colin but made two boys' day.
Memorial Day was a real scorcher, with heat indexes in the 90s, so I decided to haul everyone out to Warren Dunes for some Lake Michigan frigid temps fun! It was such a beautiful day, and it was not busy at all. I really wanted to climb the sand dune, and Colin wanted to come too. We went, and it was poor judgment on my part because he got too hot & tired and ended up not feeling so great. But once we got back into that icy cold water and he had a snack he was much better. We'll definitely head there again, it was a great beach!
This month I came up with a fun game for myself and Colin - I would put googly eyes on things around the house and wait for him to notice! Most of the time he thought it was funny but he does not like when I put the eyes on family pictures. And I have to admit it is a little haunting.
On the very last day of the month we celebrated Colin graduating from preschool. The love & thought that went into this special day was nothing short of amazing - the kids walked down the pathway with keywords written along the way, and each teacher told Colin how each word related directly to him. Of course I got teary a few times, but she really hit it with she came across "free." She wanted him to know that he is a free spirit and he's proud & comfortable being Colin, and not to ever stop being himself no matter what other people said. It resonated so much with me, because I am in my own way a free spirit - not so much in the carefree way, but more in that, I'm comfortable with and know who I am, and always have been. I'm lucky to have parents who embraced that, even some of my weirder curiosities (hamsters?) and I'll be sure to be that for both kids.
Now onto the spawns.
Oh sweet and kind Colin. I would like to take the credit for what an incredible kid he is, but I think it is just him. He is very considerate of others, very friendly and so ready for the next adventure. Don't get me wrong - he's no perfect angel by any means, but with the way his sister is (more on that later) there is a lot I appreciate about him these days.
I woke up to the sounds of crashing in the kitchen one morning. Colin was standing on the counter! I stayed in bed and pretended I didn't hear him come in. In his sweet little hands was a plate of dry toast (he's learned to use the toaster) and a glass of water for Chris. It broke my heart that Chris had already left for work, but I was also like "WTF man where's mine?!" But just such a kind thought and gesture.
BLAIR! My gosh this child is like a wildfire - tough age. So fiercely independent - she has to do everything herself. And don't try to tell her that's the letter "W"because it isn't. And no, those flowers clearly are not yellow mom. No mom that wasn't a frog it was a toot!
Blair has certainly increased her vocabulary, and speaks for the most part in full sentences. Blair is also very much potty trained, but since public bathrooms have been closed she has become a little too comfortable peeing outside (and I'm afraid she now prefers it..."like Carlo!") She continues to love reading to her furry pal Carlo, and I have noticed that she likes to play with Colin more & more rather than retiring to her chambers to read. Always singing, we are now learning "On top of Spaghetti."
To show how smart she is, one evening Chris said "Oh Sissy what is that behind your ear?" and pulled out a gummy lifesaver. She was impressed but ate it and seemed to move on. About 10 minutes later, she went to Chris saying "Dad! Dad! My ear! Dad!" and we thought she was hurt, so he scooped her up and asked what happened, to which she replied "The candy is in my ear!"
Onto the next!
No comments:
Post a Comment