If we’re being honest the day wasn’t all cute and giggles. It was long and whiny and Ben picked a scab on his leg at Wegmans that bled everywhere and Cassidy peed really fast and it shot out at me instead of down into the toilet. Netflix didn’t work so we couldn’t watch the Magic School Bus after nap (cue end of the world). Dinner was mildly passable as a meal and dishes are still in the sink. Cats didn’t get fed until 9pm (sorry guys). But hey, two kids survived, were fed, got baths and we live to do another day. Thankful for the chance to do life with them, they’re pretty cool.
On the plus side it’s only taken 5 years but we’re finally getting a full night’s sleep again. Both Cassidy and Ben have consistently been sleeping until 7:30am! Now that’s cause for celebration!
Ben started school again this week, he was pretty excited. He was eligible for Kindergarten in NYS since he turns 5 before December 1 (October 15 birthday), but we decided to wait another year. We went back and forth, talked with his teacher and really just decided he could use an extra year to gain some confidence and some emotional maturity (as mature as a 4/5yo can be…). He’s super social and very smart, just very emotional and is pretty hard on himself sometimes. So another year to try new things without heavy pressure and to build his confidence is what we’re looking for! So call it another year of preschool, PreK or TK (Transitional Kindergarten)…whatever you’d like, Ben’s enjoying it so far. He even has a little buddy in his class he’s known for forever.
In the past few weeks he’s even started an interest in reading and sounding words out and asking what they are. I picked up a reading program (Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons) which comes highly recommended and will start that with him soon. Sometimes he’s into school work and we do little activities; counting, graphing, word games and such. Other times DEAR GOD it’s like pulling teeth. But we do manage to find the right balance :)
He also desperately needs a haircut!
He was most excited about his new school shoes. I accidentally bought him shoes with ties *bangs head on desk* and now he wants to learn how to tie his shoes. And Cassidy wants to climb up in her carseat and buckle herself every single morning. It takes us forever to get out of the house…but I love them anyway.
Ben took beginner swimming lessons over the summer through the rec center. They were held at Victor’s new pool (wow!) and his teachers did a fantastic job with the little ones in his class. They used a tot dock that let the kids play in a sectioned off part of the pool with shallow water. A lifeguard watched the kids the whole time while two teachers went back and forth with different kids, having them jump in, learn how to kick, try getting their heads and faces wet, etc.
We did it for 2 weeks and I loved seeing the difference it made in his confidence and enjoyment of the water. He went from being super clingy with his teacher and scared to kick his feet…to jumping into their arms, getting his entire head wet and even jumping from the diving board to a teacher who caught him below. Although I don’t think he knew exactly what he was getting himself into with the diving board, because afterwards when I was praising him for being brave he told me he was never doing that again, haha.
Cassidy did a really good job of hanging out during Ben’s lessons. As long as I had elmo coloring books and some snacks!
I’m so proud of Ben for trying something new. We’ll definitely sign him up for lessons again when they’re offered!
Ben finished PreK! (A few months ago…I’m so behind). They had a cute little presentation in class with songs and a little reading from their teacher about what each of the kids said they wanted to be when they grew up. Ben said he “would like to be a daddy and a construction worker. After his mom gets him a glue gun, he wants to help build houses to live in when he is a dad”. Haha :) Ben was so excited to have us there and share the morning with us. My mom, Cassidy and Andy’s mom and dad were able to come too.
