Thursday, May 23, 2013

Endings and Beginnings

This school year is winding down for Kieran. He has 14 days left - including today. It's been a very bumpy year for all of us with Kieran's boredom and physical aggression.

Since we met with the school and implemented our new rules, it's been much better. Kieran's had majority green days (with a few yellows) and lots of 'double green' days where he gets dessert. I think I'm going to have to buy stock in Afters.

I've been trying to schedule some time to go do something either just me and Ken or me and my mom and realized that we don't have a real 'free' weekend until nearly mid-July. On the one hand it's nice to be popular and have things to do, on the other hand it is exhausting and one of the many reasons I won't have people over to my house. I hope to be able to devote some time to scrubbing down the first floor this coming long weekend. Kieran now has a "Help with Indoor Chores" magnet and I've tasked him with sweeping every night and mopping every other night (something he actually likes to do). He forgets most nights because he's home so late from Tae Kwan Do, or karate, or piano or base ball (have I mentioned being busy?). But he tries to remember, and I try to remind him.

Kieran has decided he likes to be busy. Not sure how things will change when Ken starts his new job week after next. He's had some flexibility up until now to leave early to go to Tae Kwan Do with Kieran a few days a week and then make that time up in the evenings or on weekends. We'll see how it goes with the new place.

Amelia continues to surprise me. Her hair is starting to curl - a lot - which concerns me because I didn't want her to have the hair I do, but she's still beautiful and amazing so I guess I'll deal. Her language is coming along though it's weird as I believe I've forgotten how long it takes for kids to really develop communication. She's good at small things (like saying when she's hungry or thirsty) less so at others (like asking for specific items to be handed to her). Words right now include "Book, eat, more, all done, mine, car, bye, hello, hi, Kieran, Mommy, Daddy, brother, puppy, cat, dog, Elmo, Fresh Beat, cookie". I'm sure I'm missing a few.

Her favorite person at daycare isn't there anymore (Miss Thelma) and she's looked for her a few times though Mia probably thinks she'll turn up eventually. She'll be moving to the bigger toddler room sometime next month and from there over to the two year old room.

That's about it. Like I said very busy. We'll have some new photos up soon from our time at the Art Outside event we went to last weekend and from Kieran and Ken's Tae Kwan Do yellow belt test and from Kieran's karate tournament this weekend and from our time at the Sunday Beach party.... um yeah. This is my life now. And I love it.

Monday, May 13, 2013

It Gets Easier, It Gets Harder

The kids grow so quickly and sometimes things seem so much easier than they did just a year ago. Then they seem harder. Then it seems about the same.

We had a really nice weekend with family. On Saturday Kieran and Ken got haircuts (and the stylist checked Mia's hair to see if it was time to cut - I have been worried about split ends) then we got new shoes for Amelia. After that we went over to my brother's house to celebrate my mom's birthday.

The kids had a great time and Amelia and Becca bonded. Becca does not mind that her only girl cousin is 9 years younger than her. She only cares that she finally got a girl cousin. Which is awesome. Becca and Mia spent a lot of time together playing drums, running back and forth between the kitchen and the living room and laughing. Kieran and Pete are like two peas in the pod and Kieran idolizes Pete (who I think enjoys not being the youngest kid and having a cousin who looks up to him so much). They talked about science and played a lot of Wii U.

Sunday was slightly crazy. Because we didn't get grocery shopping or anything else done on Saturday, I had to run to out Sunday morning. Ken had a small amount of work he needed to do. Amelia slept VERY poorly the night before (she went to bed at 9 PM and woke up nearly every hour all night long) so she stayed home with him to get a nap. Kieran did great for me at the store (which he hates going but was told that it was Mother's Day so he HAD to behave for me), we got back, unpacked groceries, then ran out to pick up my grandmother.

We had a wonderful brunch/lunch at Roy's in Baltimore (it's becoming our go-to place for large gatherings) with all the moms (my 2 moms, grandmother, sister-in-law, and her mom - oh, and me). Because we came before dinner they did not have dessert set and after dropping my grandmother back at home we went out for dessert at Afters (a frozen yogurt place). It was a very nice way to end our mother's day festivities.

Some funny things from the weekend.

Amelia is obsessed with shoes. After trying on a pair that fit fine, we asked her if she liked the shoes. She was emphatic in her "no!" We then had her try on another pair that she did like but then she refused to let go of her previous pair of shoes. Running around with them in her hands stating "My shoes!" to anyone who would listen. We are doomed when she's older and will demand multiple pairs (right now she's got one pair, which is all she really needs).

At brunch Ken ordered a Pina Colada. Kieran asked him if he was drinking a sundae. I responded that it was not, it was an alcoholic beverage. Kieran said "That sounds good!" Um, no.

That's all for now. Blog again eventually. Hope you had a wonderful mothers day as well.