Sleeping in a sea of toys

Do I need to expain this??? They have toy bins below their book shelves in their room. I try to keep a minimum amount of toys in them. But somehow, the quantity keeps creeping up and my energy level to remove them keeps going down. Hence the massive collection. Jackson always falls asleep with his mountain next to him. Sam has his pile too, but right before he's going to fall asleep, he puts them all into the bin.

Bugs Bugs Bugs

Sam and Jackson love to go out in the yard and look for bugs. They find countless potato bugs- the ones that curl up in your palm. But when someone finds a caterpillar, they are the total envy of the others. This day, both boys had found a caterpillar. They love them so much; they're like the little daddy to this caterpillar. Sam tried to let his caterpillar have fun, so he'd take it to the tree and hang it upside down, like he'd seen the cocoons in books. I told him that maybe the caterpillar was thirsty, so Sam was trying to pour water into its mouth. Jeff made the little caterpillar houses for the boys that are in these photos. He used some modelling clay to make a hump then stuck little tree branches in for the caterpillar's tree.

Everyone at School

This is September. So Chloe's class moved to a new classroom and the boys started kindergarten! Chloe's photo is right outside her classroom; they've created a small container garden right outside and they grow some decorative things and some herbs, which they cook with too. You can see the little girl with the water can; her name is Flora. Chloe is the one in front with the pink sweatshirt and dark blue star skirt. She has her Vanessa doll. The boys are in front of their school; it's called Van Asselt Elementary, in Southeast Seattle.

First day of Kindergarten

This photo was actually taken on the 2nd day of kindergarten, but the first day on the school bus. The first day, I took them and there was a meeting for the parents. So you can see they're very excited, especially Sam. They get on the bus in the morning at their before school daycare. So this day, I waited with them so I could see them get on the bus. We went outside to wait with one of the men who works at their before school daycare; he is in his late 20's probably. Of course, I cried as they were getting situated in their seats. You can see the look on Jackson's face. He was smiling, until he saw me cry- at least I think that's what happened. The daycare worker said, "oh, man, I knew you were going to cry!"

Chloe's new bed

Chloe got a big girl bed right around her 2nd birthday. She never tried to climb out of her crib- we were lucky I guess. Everyone was very excited to help put the bed together and Jeff was very patient to let them all assist him.


Chloe is putting her baby to sleep on the stool she'll use to climb into her bed. This is a trundle bed, but the lower bed wasn't put together yet in this photo. I imagine all the sleepovers she'll have in the years to come.

Asleep in her new bed, Elmo by her side.

One Grandpa visits

Dad came to visit during his birthday. The boys dubbed him "One Grandpa" because he's the only grandparent where there's only one grandparent in that house.

I think this photo speaks for itself.

We had to have a birthday party for Dad. Any visitor who comes to our house within one month of their birthday is honored with a birthday party, complete with cake made and decorated by the kids. We even throw in a little bit of spit from the candle blowing. Sam is the one with his head tilted onto Grandpa. We're all out on our deck. We just made this large table from a solid core door. See the itty bitty view of the lake at the end of our deck?

my thoughts....september 2

(this is part of a letter I wrote to a friend)

So, the boys are going into kindergarten. We had them evaluated through Seattle Public schools last January, thinking that they'd get into a special ed preschool class this year thru the school district. Both boys qualified for speech therapy, fine and gross motor occupational therapy and for social/emotional delays, BUT, they were cogitively ready for kindergarten! wow- that surprised me. I mean, I knew that they knew a lot of stuff, but since they've had so many delays, I just never figured they'd be ready for kindergarten. So the evaluation team recommemded that they do this special ed program this year called transitional kindergarten. It's a full day, kindergarten program for kids who are delayed in several areas, like the boys and since they just turned 5, they qualified. I never intended on enrolling them in kindergarten this year, but since it was a full day program with all the special ed help, it seemed like a great choice. Then next year, they can either do regular kindergarten or go onto 1st grade, whatever is more appropriate then.

It's been a super stressful 8 or 9 months or actually, almost a year. Last year, around November, their preschool teachers came to us and asked us to provide a teachers aide in their classroom, because the boys weren't getting enough support and were not able to participate in regular circle time activities; they'd wander off or not pay attention or start picking on other kids because they weren't able to follow the teacher. The teachers met with us and then sent us home with a video to show their typical behavior during circle time. We had no idea this was coming, especially since we had held them back in the 3-year old room, we thought maybe they'd be doing great. But since we already pay more than our mortgage in daycare each month (!!!!), I couldn't possible see how we could afford a private tutor in addition to regular preschool. I cried and cried and cried with stress. Anyway, slowly things have been figured out. It's like bits and bits of stress have been peeled back and thrown into the garbage, as each layer of life gets figured out.

Jackson's mouth is almost healed. What's it been, like 9 months? I finally told him that if he didn't stop licking his face that all the kids were going to laugh at him with his red face. I know that sounds mean, but it's true and I want his face to heal. So, he's stopped licking his face now.

I know, I have such an easier time playing little girl games. Sam & Jackson are way into looking for bugs and putting them into their bug catchers. Every morning, Jackson comes up to me all excited and says, "hey, you want to go look for some spiders!" EEEK, no way, I think. It's cute though, how they catch these bugs and put them into the bug catchers and then try to give them "food" and things to play with. They totally got into helping me vacuum out the car though. I put them to work and they did a great job. The shop vac is super amazing to them I guess. I feel guilty all the time too. For so many things that I don't even want to list them. Then that voice in my head says, STOP IT- what's the point, you can't change the past!!

Yeah, we don't drop the kids off with Michelle and Jon. Although, Michelle did come and stay with Traci and Peter to watch Hudson for 2 days, just during the day, while they were at work and the daycare was closed. Michelle and Jon have a 200 square foot house in the mountains with no toilet or shower and no electricity. And they have a dog. So the boys would be in hell- screaming bloody murder about the dog; not Chloe, she loves dogs. I'm just waiting for the day that the boys convince her to be afraid too. I hope it doesn't happen.

The big girl bed worked like a charm. Chloe has never gotten out of it once she'd been left there for nap or bedtime. I'm not sure why. She's the dream child, I guess. She's very proud of her bed. Michelle slept in her trundle bed already. I had to sleep with Chloe a few times in the middle of the night, because before that she was coming into our bed at about 3 or 4 am and sleeping with us. But now, she mostly sleeps all through the night by herself.

I guess I'll go now and have a beer with Jeff while we watch Seinfeld. Next time I write to you, the boys will be in kindergarten, it seems so serious.

love,
Kari