Wrapping up the school year

Today was Dean's last day of Kindergarten. He had a cute little performance with the rest of the kindergarteners. Unfortunately he was sitting in the very front row rather than standing like most of the other kids. I couldn't see him for the first 3 songs so I wiggled my way to a place in the back (the cafeteria was PACKED) so I could see him. They had largest class ever in our school district.   Anyway, as I'm going through his portfolio, there is a plant journal from when they planted seeds at school. I can't stop laughing.


Day 1: it is not groing ol I see is soel. (It is not growing, all I see is soil).
Day 2: still it is not groing.
Day 3: still not groing.
Day 4: I thenke it is ded. (I think it is dead). (On this page he has a drawing of a container with soil, and three people frowning, standing with word bubbles saying, "I Thenk it is ded."
Day 5: it is stil not groing.
Day 6: it is stil not groing.
Day 7: it is stil not groing.
Day 8: stil not groing
Day 9: stil not groing (on this page he has a picture of a pretty flower in a pot labled "Dolltin"--a kid in his class-- and one pot that is just gray dirt that says, "Dean") haha
Day 10: it is ded (and has a picture of a bot with soil and a person standing there frowning.

And as I'm going through his daily journal, nearly every page has to do with legos. Here are some examples:

"This weekend I want to play with legos."
"Over the weekend I playd with legos."
"When it is cool outside I pla with legos."
"I like spring because I can bild my favorit set"
"My favorite song is lego star wors. I like the toon."
"I love my bruther because I can play legos with him. I like to bild with him."
"I am happy when I hav legos."
"On a sunny day I like to play with legos."
"My favorite presint ever was legos because I like bilding."
"I love winter becuase we hav a brak and I can play with legos."
"My favorite thing to do with my mom is play. I like to play legos with hr."
Maybe the best one: "I wish people would stop mesing with my legos." with a picture of a frowning person labled "me" and a smiling person with a lego ship labled "Walter."
"If I could rule the world, I would bi ol the Lego ses I want." (I would buy all the lego sets I want.)
"If I couldn't sleep I'd play with legos. I can bild."

It goes on and on like that until recently when Matt introduced the boys to one of his computer games, Terraria.

"Over the long weekend I playd trerea. I like trerea because I can bild." Then the lego entries resume. =)

The most interesting entry is: "If I had an evil step mother I would bi u wand. Then I would put a spel on hr to mak hr goud."

Though I also like, "I hope I wil learn dvisin in first grade." with a picture of a math problem he drew that says, 5/2= 2 1/2

We had a good last day of school/first day of summer. We went to a park to play and have a picnic. The boys got to play computer and watch TV while Edward and Vivian napped. And I went through the entire year's worth of paper work and threw out tons of things and kept about a 2 in. binder of their best stuff each.  Then we went to the pool and came home to make pizza. Well, I made pizza and the boys played the computer with Matt. They have been playing a game that he is currently playing called Terreria. It's been fun to hear them so engaged in something Matt enjoys.

Life with 4

Vivian is now 2.5 months old. She is super cute, fun, and smiling often. She sleeps quite well at night getting up only once or twice and sleeping for about 12 hours total. She still prefers sleeping on me in the ergo carrier during the day. For the most part that works out well. Sometimes it makes it difficult for me to clean or want to clean or play with the other kids. Sometimes I still feel like I'm pregnant but with a detachable baby! Our biggest struggle is that she is sensitive to me eating dairy. My doctor says he doesn't put much stock in that, but she is definitely much fussier the day after I've eaten dairy. I've been almost 100% dairy free for a month and a half, but sometimes I just give in and eat a little on my taco or a small piece of pizza or just a slice of cheese. I will be happy when I can go back to eating it again.  I absolutely love holding her and talking to her. I love hearing her coos and happy sounds. Her face always lights up when I repeat back the sounds she's made. She is such a lightweight compared to my boys at this stage.  She was 10 lbs. at her 2 mo. check up. I think Walter was 14 or something like that. Edward is still in love with her and she really brightens his mood.  Sometimes he'll even take her pacifier out so he can comfort her! haha. She does have a little dimple but I have yet to capture it on camera.

This priceless gem of a photo reminds me so much of the pics I'd get of Dean. He'd have the funniest faces.

How her hair looks if I don't comb it after a bath...

I love this one because you can see her cute little neck.

His poor little swollen face.

Edward had kind of a scary thing happen this week. Last Monday I noticed his face swelling near his eyes. He looked like a little alien, poor guy. It was a holiday so we took him to the ER (Urgent care was closed) and they gave him a steroid shot. The next day we went to the pediatrician and he got a perscription for an oral steroid as well as an antibiotic for a double ear infection. We're still not sure if the swelling was a result of the ear infections or if he had an allergic reaction to milk. He's had a rash hang around the past week on his arms and legs, and he's been scratching his head and dumping water on it to give him relief. Hopefully we can get in to do allergy testing soon.

Last week while I was feeding Vivian, Edward decided he wanted to do his hair. He got a chair from the kitchen and pulled it into my bathroom all by himself. With the help of about half of a bottle of bedhead manipulator and lots of chunks of my deodorant, he achieved this look. He was so proud of himself. I got there right in time to intercept the toothpaste. =)  He is such a helpful and happy boy. He really brightens my days.

As I was writing this Edward took it upon himself to get a snack of applesauce. He ate nearly half a bottle of applesauce and I think the rest ended up on the floor and his body. He's currently "skating" on the applesauce. Guess that needs to be cleaned up. haha.

One morning after we dropped Dean off at school (the last week of kindergarten!), we went for a little walk with Ed and Walter in the stroller and Vivian strapped to me. When we passed a house with 3 cars Walter said, "that house has 3 cars! Now that is unexpected." I don't know why, but that just made me smile. He's really hitting a good age. 3 - 4.5 was pretty hard, but he's mellowing out and not nearly as angry. He's taking more responsibility with getting himself dressed and using the restroom by himself. He even asked to hold Vivian yesterday for the first time!  He's really quite a sweetie.  He graduated from preschool at the end of May.  We just loved his teacher Ms. Ellen. Dean had her his first year at Little Saints. We loved the staff and administrators there. I will miss seeing them every day, though I won't miss driving into McKinney twice a day, 4 days a week!! I will be happy to have Walter and Dean at the same school next year.

At muffins for mother's day

The girls were oohing and ahing over Vivian.

 

They did a special dance.

Field day sponge throwing

And Field day ball bouncing with a parachute

The lovely Ms. Ellen.

One of the moms made these awesome custom cupcakes to match each student's face, eyes and hair. Amazing.

 One day after dinner when Matt was mowing, I had the boys out doing chalk drawings of trucks. They decided to take a break and roll down our hill. It was so funny and reminded me of rolling down the hills at Pioneer Park when I was little. Something magical about turning in circles.