New school year 2009

So we were anxiously awaiting Drew and Livvy's teacher roster and Drew landed in a spot where we felt was appropriate -- i.e., not with a kid who he likes and calls his friend but got into goofy trouble with in K. His teacher is very nice, bubbly, and tough-love which he desperately needs. She took to him right away and constantly complimented him on his behavior and how he is her "model student". That confidence booster was all he needed and felt great in his new role as a maturing first grader!

Then the second week comes along and he gets switched to another teacher...in a K/1 combo class. His K teacher picked him to come back with her as a first grader with the stipulation that as a 1st grader he has to have the behavior in check and be independent enough to complete his seat work on task. She couldn't wait to have him back and it's been SUPER so far. 15 first graders and 5 Kindergarten kiddos. We're so very proud of him!

Along with that change comes Livvy. She initially had Drew's K teacher from last year who we requested she have. But since she's now teaching the combo class, Livvy wasn't quite ready for that challenge so she's moved to another class. This one shares two teachers: one is there M, T, W and the other Th, F. We felt it would be a good change for her with the exception that sharing 2 teachers on different days may throw her transitioning skills off a bit. I was a little disappointed because I felt her original teacher was really good with her and supported her in the most efficient way. And just as she was getting into the routine and making friends...but change is good. :) Now she cries at night saying she doesn't want to go to bed and doesn't want to go to school anymore. I know it's stressful for her, she's a very picky eater and needs to eat more now that she's at school so long, and needs enough sleep in order to function --- like we all do. Hopefully next week will be better for her as she continues to adjust and grow emotionally.

Alex, Mr. Magnet I call him now...he LOVES his mom! Needs to work on getting the dang underwear/pants on. He refuses to stand to pee and has to strip the bottom half of his clothes off in order to go. But he can't quite get them back on unassisted. I'm waiting for him to do this so he can go to preschool. He desperately wants to go to school and I tell him he needs to show me he can do it alone for 5 days straight and then I'll sign him up...he gets frustrated with it easily. So yesterday I told him to keep trying while he's crying. He gets them on, grabs his shoes, and asks, "Can I go to preschool now?" As in RIGHT NOW. Awww...poor baby doesn't get it. One day...one day.

Drew lost his 5th tooth!

It had been hanging there for WEEKS by a thread and finally I told him to just twist it a little bit and it would fall out. So he did and was so proud! The tooth fairy gave him .75 and the next day at school he told his teacher the tooth fairy brought him .27. :) Um, she's not that cheap!

Some funny quotes

I figured I better put these here before I forget (even though I swear I will NEVER forget them) so here goes:

Drew: "Ouch! I have growing pains, Mommy!!"
Me: "Yeah, it probably is...let's rub your leggies."
Drew: "Can you get the measuring tape and see how much I've grown in the last 10 seconds?"
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Livvy: A little background first. For her birthday, G'pa gave her a certain amount of money on a Target giftcard. I took her there and was explaining how to stay within the alloted amount -- something I'm not trained in yet myself! So she picks out a Princess pretend CD player and a stroller for her baby. That was her $ total. We are walking out and she spies a Barbie fishing pole that she "has to have" and I told her she had to put back the CD player or the stroller since the 3 items together were too much money. She quickly puts the fishing pole down and is satisfied with the 2 items she originally picked out. This was in June. Here we are in AUGUST and not a day goes by where she replays that Target day verbally and how she reeaaalllly wants the friggin' fishing pole! So here's today's replay:

Liv: "Mommy, I really want to go to Target and get the Barbie fishing pole. Can we?"
Me: "One day, but not today."
Liv: "But everyone else will get it and it won't be there when we go back."
Me: "Maybe. But that doesn't mean we're getting it today. If you continue to save your own money you might be able to buy it."
Liv: "Can I have a quarter?"
Me: "No."
Liv: "But the Barbie fishing pole is my favorite! First I picked the CD player, then the stroller and you told me I had to put one back to get the fishing pole and I didn't want to."
Me: "That's right...that's how it went. Great memory!"
Liv: "So after we go to sleep tonight, eat breakfast in the morning, we can go to Target. Okay?"
Me: "No. You have to use your own money and I don't think you have enough yet. We can count your dinero in the morning. Good night, Livvy."

I walk out of her room, close the door and hear her singing: "Oh Barbie fishing pole. Please stay there. I'll be there to pick you up soon. Mommy won't give me a coin so I'll have to count my own. Please wait for me. I know I made a mistake and didn't get you when I was there last time. Oh Barrbbbiiieee!!!!"

Ah....she genuinely regrets not getting that stupid pole! And she's never fished in her life and doesn't even know how to use it! It's just that it's Barbie. And she's driving me NUTS about it daily. I hope she has enough money or it's not on the shelf anymore!!!!

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With Alex potty trained during the day now (my big boy!) his new task is to put his underwear and bottoms on himself. Or at least to his best ability. A few days ago he peed, flushed, and sat down on the bathroom floor to put his underwear on. I'm in the kitchen and a few minutes later he comes out calling my name. I answer with my back to him and he says his bottom hurts a "wittle bit." I turn around and he has both legs in one hole, they are upside down, and the waistband is in his cheeks like a thong panty! Uh, need some help? I was rolling...wedgie much?!

I'm baaaack!

Kenny's 45th bd ~ April 2009

Auntie Lolo cooking up some grub for us!

Alex - Mr. "I hate the beach because I think there are sharks that come up to the shore." AKA the Lifeguard.

Pop and Drew

My beach bums - Manhattan Beach, SoCal

Alexander's 3!!

The kids digging for "gold" :

Shelley ~ almost six months with baby boy!

Baby Liv and Daddy

Ok, so six months...is it really that long? Ah, where to start?

Let's start with Alex's birthday...May 31. He's 3 now and suddenly a little man and not a "baby" anymore. He had no interest in potty training until a few months ago and he's pretty good ~ maybe a tinkle accident once a week. Night training will come later - like when he's 14 yrs old or so. ;) He thinks he IS Livvy and literally will take a breath when she does. HA! They get along pretty well, although she doesn't like it when he gets too aggressive with her. She is a girlie-girl though.

Then we go to Livvy's birthday...June 17. 5 yrs old. We've decided to skip special ed Kindergarten this year and hold our breath during the regular ed. school year. She will still have 30 minutes of speech, 30 minutes of OT, and an aide in the classroom an hour a day every day during academic times. Her biggest struggles we think will be her reading, writing, and self-esteem. I hope to volunteer more this year with the possibility of having Alex in a one or two-day preschool morning program so I can get this done. I will for sure need to hold Liv's hand for the first week helping her to adjust and know her place there. Going from special ed. to regular is going to rock her world.

Drewbie - July 28. He's seven now! He's taller and is very conscious of health...eating the right foods and bad ones in moderation, exercising, etc. G'pa had told him to practice push-ups each night to get stronger and he can do 10 perfect form push-ups! He's very proud. He was enrolled in a soccer class through the community center that focused on the beginning skills of the game. He learned a lot and had a BLAST. He's quite coordinated and a fast runner. He'll be going into 1st grade this year. Boo hoo!!

He had his 7yr well check-up today and is doing well. He does have some type of sensitivity to most fruits and veggies that make his mouth red and itchy/burning. At first we thought it was him trying to get out of eating them, but we can see what it does to his mouth. The doc scheduled him for an allergy appt next week because of his mastocytosis.

School starts the 24th of this month! What?? I feel like the summer has flown by and I'm not ready yet! Am I crazy?!

AND....I have a new nephew!!!!!!!!! Levi was born to Shelley and Gary on July 29 (day after Drew's bd!) at a whopping 9 lbs, 14 oz!!!!!!!! HUH? Everyone was shocked at his size, especially since he was due Aug. 9! The kids and I drove down to see them last Friday-Tuesday. The intent was to watch the delivery and Dad would watch the kids at his place. Well, Alex ended up having a fever for a few days and (a) I didn't want to drive with a fevered kid and (b) get anyone else sick. So we had to wait. :( What timing is that? I'm so bummed I missed out on that special invitation, but Shelley and Gary are doing FABULOUS with their new son. I really miss the newborn smell, noises, sleeping baby, but not so much that I want another one. :) Wish we lived closer.....

A little shout-out to my hubby...my hard worker, never complains, works 18 hr days Monday-Friday for us. I feel badly and know he needs a break in a bad way and he will. We're still looking for a weekend to spend together for our anniversary in MAY. If it's not one thing it's another...but, it'll all work out in the end.


Let's see if I can update with a few snapshots.....

Here we go!

Ok, so I have little spare time so here's the latest:

The kids had this week off of school...which was....interesting, to say the least! The constant bickering, tattle-tailing, whining incessantly was enough to drive me CRAZY! I love them all to bits, but come ON...this was more like a temporary prison term for crying out loud!! Needless to say, we went to the gym every day this week and I maxed out on my 2-hr allotted kid watch clock in peace and quiet!

We've decided to sign Drew up for t-ball in March through the YMCA. He cried and cried saying he didn't want to because he was shy (lol) and nervous. I explained over and over that everyone needs to try new things and that he'd end up loving it once he got in there. He IS an active one and needs to experience being a part of a team, commitment, responsibility, etc. After 15 min or so of going back and forth he finally says, "Ok, but I don't want you and Daddy to cheer for me!" HA! That's great, son, just so funny!

Alex...Mr. Firecracker..Instigator extraordinaire..but cute! He likes to stir the pot w/ his sibs and says the sayings they say..ex: "that's not fair!" "I don't want to" and "is anyone listening?" Need to focus more on potty training though he'll "go" on command. He is the first one up each morning at 5:30am and wakes everyone up..thanks! Doesn't he know Mommy is NOT a morning person??? He eats anything and loves his beverages in an open cup. He still doesn't "get" how to pedal his tricycle so he has two very large worn spots on his $50 Stride Rite shoes..classic. Little man is turning 3 in May...how?!

Liv - The Princess Diva...puts on a dress or skirt and announces, "I'm a princess! How do I look?" hee hee She is a crack up! Just today I asked her to get a sweater on and she was having a hard time so instead of asking for help, she hides it and cries from her room. I ask her what the deal is and she says, "It's not beautiful anymore." awww...Still the pickiest eater I know. Her caloric intake sucks..she's supposed to have 800 cals a day and she gets maybe half of that. Nice. She's decided she's over eating scrambled eggs (there goes a nice source of protein) and after her doc suggested putting her back on PediaSure she turns her nose to that. Fabulous. I have to add caloric powder to her drinks to up the intake and asked the doc if they made such a powder that removes calories for me! :) She is no kid of mine to eat like a bird. We'll see how it goes at her next gastro appt - hopefully she's gained SOMETHING!

Kaiser called today and scheduled her for an eval through their ASD clinic. Basically, their own diagnosis of her which in turn goes to her current preschool teacher and might qualify her for more services. That appt is in March and both Kenny and I are supposed to be there for a full day of testing. It has taken 6 months to get this appt so we're excited.

I think that's it for now...Sabra - if you still read this blog I apologize for such infrequent posts on my part!