Both boys wanted to be sharks for Halloween, specifically a bonnethead hammerhead for Colin, and you can’t buy those so I had to make them. Holden is a “ate ite ark – swimming in the ater” (Great White Shark, swiming in the water) They turned out pretty well:
Side view
Back view
Sitting at Colin’s preschool:
Showing off their costumes at school:
Yesterday after school I brought Colin’s bike so he could ride with the other kids. His training wheels are off but he hasn’t really ridden yet. He was very upset that I had brought the bike without the training wheels but eventually agreed to try it.
A few minutes later I look over and he is riding it. He was so excited and so proud of himself. All the other moms thought it was great that he had just learned right there after school. He said it was all because there was a little hill where he could get started. Very fun.
He had also learned to zip his zipper for the first time all by himself at school that day, so it was a big day all around. In fact when I got in the car I said “Wow, you have learned a lot of things today, you sure are growing up” and Colin stood up and said “really, how much taller am I?”
Attended Holden’s first preschool event tonight – the pumpkin party, so called because everyone was supposed to bring in a pumpkin to decorate (with breaks for a little Mexican buffet and ‘circle time’).
Holden was a real champ when it came time to decorate – very careful and precise about how he slopped paint on the pumpkin – looked like a masterpiece to me:
For a couple months now Holden has been very into the ABCs. He knows them all and every time we are out if he sees a big sign he reads all the letters off and then says “What that say mommy?” It is pretty cute and reminds me of when Colin was little.
Last Friday, after the grape sale, Holden started limping a little bit. We had been outside for 5 straight hours, biking, climbing trees, etc. When he woke up Saturday morning he wouldn’t take a single step or even stand on his leg. He stayed like that all day. In fact we went to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (in 3-D) so he would have something to do. He was happy, just wouldn’t walk. Of course I was really worried he did something serious, but Chuck being the voice of reason said let’s just give him a day or so. He woke up on Sunday morning and promptly began running around the house.
Colin’s latest thing is playing the adjective, verb, noun game. I give him a sentence and he tells me the part of speech for each word. It is currently limited to the above parts, no adverbs, articles, etc. He is about to pass my knowledge in this area – seriously. I am awful with grammar, spelling, etc.
Of course shortly after playing that game I found myself telling him “Stop licking the outside of the milk carton” at breakfast, so he is still a five year old (or a 2 year old in that case)
Colin just came to me and said “we didn’t have any sales this year. Can’t we sell grapes?”
He proceeded to pick our sour grapes, wash them and put them on a plate. Of course Holden did the same.
Then he made a sign, with a little spelling help. At first he was going to price the grapes at $50 but decided one dollar was better – and it is all you can eat.
He got a table all ready. He sat down and said “there aren’t any customers but that’s ok I am patient”. A minute later he said “Holden watch the table I am going to look out for people”
About 5 minutes in he expanded into apples. Tart, semi rotten apples, with some decent ones mixed in.
No one has come by yet but Colleen stopped by and bought an apple which made Colin’s day.
They have decided pears might get some people to walk by
Here are some of Colins drawings. He has a whole series of sea drawings all with sharks.
Here are his coloring skills:
A drawing of Holden:
Not to short change Holden, he has become quite the artist as well.
Since we haven’t posted in awhile, here are some highlights from the past two months.
In August we took the train to Vancouver for a weekend. The boys (and us) loved riding the train, swimming in the pool, going to Stanley Park and going out to eat. We went with our friends Colleen and Ian and there sons, Liam 2 1/2 and Declan 6 months.
In September both boys started preschool. Colin is going to a Jumpstart pre-K program every afternoon for 3 hours. He missed the cut off to start kindergarten this year but he loves Jumpstart, which is really just like Kindergarten. They have play time, task time, circle time, recess, snack time, etc. He even has homework, which he loves to do. He has become a great color-er – all in the lines and everything. I will put a shot up of his work tomorrow.
Holden started at preschool that is 2 days a week, one of which I go with him because it is a co-op preschool. It is nice for him to have a place of his own and to meet his own friends because right now he thinks he is 5 and Colin’s friends are his friends. Holden goes to school for about 2 hours, has outside play time, snack, free play inside and then a little circle time. He also loves it.
Colin also turned 5 a few weeks ago. We had a football party for him. Come to think if it this really deserves its own post with pictures so I will do that.
Holden has been talking a ton more and is hilarious. He is a little joker and just a funny guy, who loves his brother. He pretty much does and says EVERYTHING Colin does.
My dad came to visit in mid September and we all had a great time seeing him. The boys loved having him here and were pretty upset for a few days after he left.
Chuck’s been busy working and has a bit of travel coming up, but thankfully my mom is coming to help out for awhile while he is gone. Chuck also just had a birthday earlier this week, but I will let him post his own age.
I haven’t been feeling so great. Hurt my knee, who knows how, but it has made taking care of the boys and exercising a bit hard. Plus I have been really tired the past month, which may be due to allergies out here in Seattle – never had them anywhere before. I have been trying this no sugar/no yeast diet to boost my immune system and to feel better overall but it is extremely hard to do: no sugar, no bread, no flour, no cheese, no fruit, no beer, no vinegar, no soy sauce, etc and sugar is in absolutely everything. It is rough but I have been doing it for 2 1/2 weeks now and I am kind of getting used to it…thankfully it won’t be forever – I hope.
That is a bit of what we have been up to. I am excited about the iphone app, that means we will definitely be posting more up here, especially when we are out and about.
And it has been even longer since I posted, but with the upgrade the wordpress iPhone app actually works – promise my next one will actually have some substance, but just wanted to test it out.
Anyway, go Yankees!
Hi All -
It’s been awhile, but we are finally back and hopefully better. I upgraded our software and now I can post blogs from my phone. That means more pictures and shorter more frequent updates. I will try to give it a go over the next few days!
Jess