Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Multi-Faceted Man and his secret sidekick

It's a new superhero...

He can be serious and scary... especially when he's graduated to doing tight figure-8s on the backyard court.
(notice the Steelers outfit, Auntie Em and Uncle Brian?)


post-Sounders soccer game

And then his lighter side..

posing for the photographers

entertaining his adoring public with jokes at the Willows


Not to be outdone...
Super Secret Diva Girl - no photos please...

Otherwise they all look like this.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Milestone #2: CHECK!

Here's what The Boy crossed off the list today.

Don't mind the fact that this shot down our street, complete with VW Bus and unweeded house, looks like we live in Trashville. The other direction really does look nicer.


Dad got quite a workout as well. And because The Boy gets his dogged determination from his father, he rode this morning, this afternoon, and this evening.

I won't be surprised if he's poppin wheelies and riding one-handed by Monday.

Friday, June 19, 2009

More like the beginning

I witnessed something amazing tonight. When you wait for something for a long time and it happens gradually, right under your nose, sometimes you don't expect to be hit smack in the face with the wonder of it.

After a busy day, with The Boy's last day of--gulp--kindergarten, an early morning run to Fred Meyer for emergency rubber chickens for Pat's Field Day, coffee/cocoa with Bitty Girl, end-of-school lunch at McDonald's (I know, don't judge me, it's what he chose), and the afternoon at Field Day, I did not have high hopes for the evening. Pat was gone at his staff party, and somehow I managed to get dinner on the table and The Boy showered.

The promise of stories in Mommy's bed found them both under the covers with their book choices. I wish I had a picture - it was beautiful.
The Boy picked up a book from my nightstand and... (wait for it)


started to read it out loud. It was Little Oink, a gift from Auntie Emmy, and he's heard it a few times before. And I knew he could read. He's been reading for months, in bits and pieces, various words on the page or little beginning reader books from his book bag at school.

But as I stood across the room watching him, so confidently reading the words, stopping only occasionally to spell one for me to help him, I could see it happening, the neurons and synapses firing with connections. He didn't give up like he often does, and this book has words like "savored" and "relished". His eyes lit up when he started to spell "because" and then realized he knew it!

HE CAN READ!

I have so many fantastic memories of reading and stories and being curled up with a book. And while this enthusiastic bundle of boy has so many of my characteristics, I often find myself "not getting him." So watching him read a book with delight filled me with joy and familiarity and such a grown-up sense of connection.

Way to go, my boy. You have so much ahead of you, and we are excited to be along for the ride.
And while it may be more "Captain Underpants" and Batman comic books than Little House on the Prairie or Boxcar Children, the light in your eyes is something I understand.

Except when you're laughing at the poop jokes. That part, only your father understands. Thank goodness you have each other.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

I just made...


The last school lunch of the year.
And just like every other lunch, we have one turkey & cheese sandwich, crusts cut off, half a kiwi, thermos of milk (usually chocolate), a fruit leather, a strawberry yogurt tube, and rice crackers. What can I say, the kid likes to know what to expect. His dad takes the same lunch every day too.
And don't forget the note on the napkin, although I have been instructed NOT to write "I love you" anymore. Too mushy.
Every time I read those little "How to spice up your child's lunchbox" articles, I let out a snort that is part envy, part wonder. Do kids really eat pita chips and hummus, raw pepper slices, quesadillas, or SOUP for school lunch??
We'll just enjoy our summer of turkey sandwiches at home. At least I don't have to make them the night before.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Now that's old

While in the car today, we passed a cemetery. Out the window, The Boy saw an elderly man walking across the grass with flowers in his hand. We discussed how he was probably going to put flowers on someone's grave, maybe his wife's or friend's.

The Boy says, "Or maybe his mom. Or his grandma, or his great-grandma, or his great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great...

At this point I get sort of irritated and say, "That's enough greats, I get it."

And he says, "Just a minute, I'm almost back to Jesus."

I lost count, but he was probably fairly close. It was a lot of greats. And he's funny.

The final stretch

Today The Boy celebrates the end of kindergarten. Friday is the official last day of school, but today is the ceremony.

He decided to start the party a day early by calling a 2nd grader a jackass on the bus yesterday. Because another friend told him he wouldn't be his friend UNLESS he called the bigger kid a jackass. Lovely. He lost Pokemon card privileges for the week and got a nice dose of "If someone tells you to do something you know is wrong..." but I promise I didn't ask him if his friend jumped off a bridge, would he follow?

But back to my nostalgia. The end of kindergarten. Excuse me while I get a tissue.

He has had an amazing year. He had a fantastic teacher, who in spite of being about to give birth any day, has managed to make it through the year. She is kind and understanding and puts up with an energetic class that includes many livewire boys.

This year the Boy learned to read, to write, tons of math concepts like addition, subtraction, partners of 10, teen numbers, all about isopods (bugs like those roly poly bugs), sea life, riding the school bus, took two field trips, had recess with big kids, played on a soccer team, played an entire t-ball season without breaking his arm, and learned how to appropriately use "asshole" and "jackass" in a sentence.

He made new friends, STILL hasn't lost a tooth, learned all about Bakugan and Pokemon and how everyone has been to Disneyland except for him. Oh, he learned how to say something "sucks," too. As in "You suck because everyone else in my class has been to Disneyland but me."

In September, writing was an excruciating task that he would speed through as quickly as possible. Now, if he's motivated and interested in the subject, he'll write a 10 page book. And by motivated, I mean that NuNu offered to pay him 50 cents a story.

We're ready for summer, but not before we celebrate an amazing year of milestones.

Congratulations to our boy. We are so, so proud of you. But we could do without the curse words.
Pictures from the "graduation" ceremony...
They read out loud their pictures of "What I liked best about kindergarten." Almost every kid said P.E. the field trip to the beach that was 2 weeks ago, or making gingerbread houses. You gotta love kindergarteners. I'm sure his teacher is wondering why she bothered with all that useless math and reading, or even being nice to them.
Thanks to Grandma and Papa for coming!

reluctantly posing with his annoying mom

Showing Grandma his memory book


And from the trip to Baskin Robbins later - waffle cone double scoop!



Monday, June 8, 2009

Meet my new best friend

As I get older, it's the little things that mean a lot.
Like not having to fill up my damn watering can 18 times to water the garden-gone-wild.

Pat brought home this beauty after I complained every. single. day about how long it takes me to water, filling up our little watering can. See, we don't have the drip soaker hose thing figured out yet with the garden beds and the hose spray is too strong even on the shower setting for my delicate carrots and lettuce.

Key information you are possibly missing: Pat built some raised beds, we planted some veggies and flowers and herbs, they are growing, and we may be eaten by a giant zucchini.

Behold, proof that I don't really have a brown thumb like I thought. Yet.
May 13 sprouts


May 22 progress


May 31


June 4 - a new MTV special - ZUCCHINI GONE WILD. We had to move it yesterday before it smothered the carrots. I've named it Audrey Jr, after this Audrey, but if it gets sassy, I'm tossing it in the compost. That's her on the right pre-transplant.


The aerial view of her new home. Wave to Audrey Jr. or she might eat you.



Bitty Girl's garden yesterday - lettuce, anyone?? And as soon as those nasturtiums bloom, we can eat those too.



Zucchini, uh, I mean Audrey Jr. happily growing in her new home. We had a close call when she looked all wilty Sunday morning, but a little water and she perked right up.
That's her new home that Pat built Thursday in 90 degree heat, let me add.

Husband of the year with a side of lettuce and zucchini??