5 years old!!!

Our Little Christmas Present - 5 Years Old

I am going to stop after this one tonight. I can't believe that tomorrow is K's 5th birthday! She is growing up so fast. This is her last year to be at home with me during the week. (She does go to preschool 2 days a week, but the "freedom" of being able to do things in the middle of the week will be over in about 9 months when she starts kindergarten).

This has been an exciting year for little miss K - she goes to preschool twice a week where she has learned all kinds of things - Spanish, sign language, how to write, letters and sounds, numbers, patterns, rhyming, how to spell some words, and lots of songs. I love to pick her up from school and hear about all of the fun things she learned how to do. She also still loves taking dance lessons. She does Ballet and Tap and had her 3rd recital last week (more pictures will be posted soon). Over the summer she learned how to swim and had lots of opportunity to practice. She has started "playing golf" with Matt and I when we go practice at the driving range. K has really grown in many ways this year. She is starting to become more independent - although she still enjoys a little snuggling from time to time. It is fun because we can do so many more things, and she can help out a little, too. However, I would be lying if I didn't say that it is a little sad for me too.

Here is a picture from yesterday - I think that this is one I am going to have to frame - I love the little look she has on her face. It gives a little insight into her personality.

Waiting for the music to start for her ballet dance.

Malikilikimaka is the thing to say on a bright Hawaian Christmas day!! That's the island greeting that we send to you from the land where palm trees sway...

Goofing off before dance class one day.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

God speaks to little ears...

One day not too long ago I was preparing for one of my students to arrive. As I was getting things out, K informed me that she was starving and needed a snack. I went to the kitchen and got her some goldfish or something and then she asked for some cheetos. I was in a hurry, so I just handed her 3 and went on my way. She stopped me and said, "Uh, Mom - I think I need 4 cheetos today because I AM 4 years old, you know." I responded with a quick, "not right now K - I have to work and you already have goldfish." Her closing argument was what kind of made me think that I am going to have to start getting more crafty with my responses.

"Uh, Mom - I just talked to God in my bedroom and he informed me that I should have 4 cheetos since I am 4. Soon it will be 5."

Well, since God said then I had better give in, right? That was what she was hoping for, but not what she got. I told her that next time she talked to God she needed to tell him to let me in on these things, too.

Working on our LLLLL's

Most people hear B talk and comment on how well he talks. He really does well. His vocabulary is rather large for a three year old. In fact, sometimes we catch him using words just because he likes the way they sound. A few weeks ago his word was "certainly." He used "certainly" as often as he could for a few days. Tonight he invented a word. His word was "side-wards." He was trying to describe how he was jumping - I guess a combination of backwards and sideways??? Hmmm...

There is one thing that B will have to overcome over the next few years - that is pronouncing his L's. He tends to make a "w" or "y" sound instead of "l" sound. I think it is cute, and it is very common, so I don't get onto him for it - he has plenty of time to work on that stuff. I get a kick out of hearing him say stuff like, "Mom, it's reawwwy (really), reawwy, reawwy cold outside today, huh?"

Last week I was going in to his room to tell him good night, sing him a song and then give him a good night kiss when he stopped me. Out of nowhere he asked, "Mom, why won't you kiss me on the 'yips' ? Do you think I might 'yick' ya or something?" I just laughed and then gave him a kiss on the cheek. While I was doing that, he turned and licked me across the cheek. Now, where he thought of such a thing I have no idea - maybe the dog gave him an idea, or maybe his daddy did. Who knows??? He is such a little goof ball at times.

Ouch!

Well, December is half over already! As I sat with the kids tonight and watched a bit of Mary Poppins, I realized that the last 3 or 4 weeks have just flown by. No, actually the last year has flown by. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were watching the "25 days of Christmas" on ABC Family and the gingerbread man cell phone commercial was playing. Crazy, huh?

I haven't written lately because I guess we have been completely consumed with all of the events that take place during the holiday season. I'll try to fill in as many stories as I can tonight, and then hopefully get back to it soon and finish up.

I guess I can start with little man, B. . . He has given us a few excuses to laugh this past month. I mentioned earlier that we have gotten back into playing golf, and that the kids go with us to practice at the driving range. Well, a few weeks ago we took both kids and of course there was only one small club for them to share. We tried to lay down some "rules," but apparently were not that effective. The biggest rule is that they are not to walk up to anyone while they have a club in hand, and they are not allowed to swing a club anywhere but in between the ropes (while we are supervising, of course). Somehow the rule of not swinging a club escaped little K's mind for a short moment, and she decided she was going to "work on her swing." As she pulled the club back, her little brother ran right into the head of the club. Luckily she doesn't have the strength to swing that hard now, and he wasn't running too fast. Nonetheless, he ended up in tears and she felt very bad. Matt was concerned, but also a little embarrassed that something had happened, so I took B to try and calm him down while he spoke with K. The calming down took a while, and finally I was able to get him to explain to me what happened. His explanation was priceless...

"I was walking around and Kay Kay hit me in the head with a golf club... And I'm not even a golf ball!!!"

I tried really hard not to laugh at the moment and just remember the story for later so that I could share it with Matt.

We ended up having Christmas a few weeks early with Matt's parents and Grandma since we will all be in different places over Christmas and wouldn't see each other for a while. K and B's gift from Matt's parents will hopefully solve some of the fights over the one golf club, and give them both something to do while at the range... Here are a few pics...