Everyone has their thing…

So far, school is not on the top of Mason’s list.
“I don’t like Kindergarten, all we ever do is color…” says Mason every day when he gets home. I can only imagine the torture of being forced to color.

This was Mason’s first homework assignment. Simple: Trace the letters. I think he made it to letter F before he put his crayon down and said “All this work is making me tired…” I can only imagine the torture of being forced to trace the alphabet. Once.

And on Monday morning, some of the first words out of this kid’s mouth were “Is it Friday yet?” Because with all of the coloring and tracing demands placed on this kid, why wouldn't he look forward to the weekend?!

Line up now, ladies, for a chance to score this very ambitious stay-at-home slacker. Parents’ basement included.

So about that water slide…

It gave Mason MRSA. Mason stayed home from school on Friday because he had a 105 degree fever. And just about the time I was ready to have the “see why it is so important to always wash your hands with soap when you get home from school” discussion, we noticed that a road rash scrape on Mason’s arm had become quite swollen, red, hot, and painful. The doctor confirmed this infection, and $300 later we are four days in to an antibiotic treatment. Mason has to take a whopping (sarcastic) 2 teaspoons of medicine three times daily for ten days. And after the first treatment which took nearly two hours to swallow, I was ready to hop a plane to Mexico. But our little patient has mastered the art of down in one (more like down in five or six, but still…) and is looking forward to picking out a toy when he is done with this treatment. And I should get a present for going through all of this, too. Just sayin’…

Said Mason:

Upon returning home from his third day of school, Mason very dramatically plopped down on the couch and just as dramatically announced:

Whew, it sure does feel good to be home so that I can finally relax after a long day of school.

Please understand that Mason is gone for three hours each day, and a large portion of that time is spent riding a bus to and from school…

Soccer started.

This is how we would like Mason to look while playing soccer…

But this is more what Mason looks like while playing soccer…

Jacob is much more advanced at soccer. Meaning that he knows that you should try to kick the ball…

He even played goalie for the first time. And as his mother, I will say that this was absolutely nerve racking!

But he didn’t allow any goals to score, and their team may have even won the game. I cannot confirm victory as I think I—and the rest of us—was suffering from heat stroke by the end of the game…

Carrying on a Tradition

Growing up--and all through high school, really--my mom would write us notes on our lunch napkins. I sent Jacob to school with a quick napkin note, and he came home beaming. He said all his friends wanted to read the note because they thought it was so cool! And now the challenge is on to come up with a series of notes that are first-grade readable! 

Five!

Today is Mason’s birthday, and he woke up bright and early just as expected to get a jump start on enjoying his day!

He opened his presents before school. Spoiler alert: He picked out and helped me wrap half of his presents. Not a terrible mom. Just making sure that my kiddo loves his presents!

And he did love them all—even the surprise ones! He is currently at school, and I am gearing up for the second half of his special day which will, no doubt, include trips to the park, McDonald’s, and soccer practice to name a few!

Mason had a party last weekend.

And thought that meant he was five, and that  he will turn six on his actual birth day. Thank goodness the world doesn’t work that way!

[I put Caleb in charge of taking Mason to the bakery to pick out a birthday cake. This is the gem Mason decided on. A picture of himself. Cutest cake I have ever seen!]

[We rented this monster-sized 20-foot tall water slide for Mason’s party. It was a huge hit! For eight hours straight there was a constant stream of very pruney kids (and adults) taking the plunge. It helped that it may have been the hottest day of the summer!]

[Mason told me it was the “longest, best birthday party ever!” I would have to agree!]

Nine years ago today, this happened.

It only took about one hour after getting in to our daily grind for us to realize the significance of today’s date. And who are those young kids?!

And so it begins again.

Today was the first day back at school for Jacob, and the first day ever at school for Mason.

Jacob came in to our bedroom before six this morning fully dressed and ready to eat breakfast so that he could brush his teeth. Never mind that school doesn’t start until 9:05. He was very excited to bring a lunch, and cut the line so that he could be the first one on the bus!

Mason, though a little pokier at getting out of bed—6:15—also moved at the speed of lightning. He got dressed on the first request, gobbled up his breakfast in record speed, asked to eat lunch beginning at 9:30 so that he wouldn’t miss his afternoon kindergarten bus, and waited as patiently as he could for his first bus ride to school!

[Two handsome dudes ready to go! It’s hard to believe these humongous shirts will ever fit as they should!]

[Mason getting on, then off the bus. His bus arrived 12 minutes late to school. It appears as if his bus driver is going to slowly ease in to the school year!]

[A happy guy who just logged his first bus ride.]

I absolutely CANNOT wait to hear all of the stories these boys come home from school with today!

Reliving the Past

A trip planned to the zoo was quickly vetoed due to construction and impending crowds. So a fun alternative was the “Let’s visit every park we used to play at before we moved” day. So we did. Five parks in 3 hours. All within walking distance of our old house. Yes, we snooped on our old house. No, we didn’t ask to have our picnic lunch in the old back yard!

It was a fun and exhausting day for us all!

Kindergarten Prep

This little guy got his Kindergarten shots the other day and hardly shed a tear. In fact, this is the convo he and I had in the car after the trauma had passed:

Me: Mason I can't believe how super brave you were. Way to go, Buddy!

Mason: It hurt real bad, but I didn't cry. My eyes just melted a little bit.

That might just be the cutest thing I have ever heard. My eyes melted a little too! 

Drama King

I caught Mason doing this in the back seat because "Camryn's glow worm is stinking up the car, and I can't even breathe in here."

We will have to teach this dude that it is possible to breathe through the mouth without physically plugging up the ol' nose holes!

Trained!

It's been about a month in the making so I think we are in deep enough where this announcement won't jinx us: For the first time in nearly SEVEN years we are officially daytime diaper free!!!!!

Camryn spearheaded this activity as I had little interest. And, by golly, she rocked it. We are traveling a little lighter now, and not having to change diapers makes me so happy I could just smother her cute little face with kisses. Which I do. All the time!

[Camryn is very in to taking pictures of herself. Vain? And snapped this picture of us. Love her right down to the crusty face and wild hair!]

Trademark Move

This is what you get when you ask Camryn to take a picture. Cute no matter what!