Thursday, July 31, 2014

My kids have the best Daddy

My kids really have the best, most thoughtful Daddy. A couple of months back, BJ had finally saved up enough quarters from collecting trash to buy his bike (Brandon's idea).  He was so excited to pick out his bike after working so hard for it. Brandon and he spent some time on the internet deciding which one would be the best, and found one they liked at Toys R Us. (Sidenote: I love online shopping- Amazon was how I did most of my Christmas shopping last year, but there is something very important and more special in letting a kid shop at a store.) BJ and I planned to have a lunch date with Daddy to pick up the bike- making it very special- putting an invite on his google calendar (that he uses for work and other life events) for a family lunch meeting to discuss the acquisition of transportation for BJ. He accepted our invite and the kids and I went out to run an errand before our "meeting time." Brandon, however, made sure he got to Toys R Us before we were able to for a meeting of his own.  You see, BJ had saved up a lot of money, enough to buy A bike, just not the one he had picked out.  And someday he will learn that different things cost different amounts, but that was not the lesson Brandon had planned for today.  He went in and spoke with the manager about paying for part of the bike ourselves, but without BJ realizing he did that.  So when we got to Toys R Us, BJ proudly walked back to the bikes- picked his out and started walking toward the register.  He dumped his ziplock baggie on the counter and started to arrange his money. Brandon directed him to start making piles of quarters for dollars while he slyly swiped his card.  The sweet manager then gave BJ the total remaining and he and B counted out the total. He was so proud riding the bike out of the store and told everyone in the neighborhood about how he saved up $70 but the bike was only $60 so he got to keep some. Someday we'll tell him the true story (especially because his numbers are all off) but for now I smile and know that my kids have the best Dad.


THE bike:


 Outside Toys R Us

P.S. BJ has been taught well by his Dad and gave his old bike to Anika. I've converted it to a pink bike, now she just has to get taller so she can reach the ground on it. 

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Photo dump #1

Kids playing hospital/doctor
 Princess Anika
 On the horse at the grocery store
 BJ's preschool graduation

 "Can I have some more yogurt cowboy?" -Anika
 Hugs
 Mommy BJ date night

 BJ climbing to the top

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Another Overdue Update

I'm convinced that life is always hectic and crazy, it just changes and you adapt.  So it is crazy here, as always, but it is way overdue for an update.

BJ is growing like crazy, both physically and in maturity.  He still has his moments, but he is definitely growing up.  He can't wait to start kindergarten in a little over a month.  He will be going M,W, and F (2 and a 1/2 days total).  At the end of the school year we were attending many fesitivites he felt were the end of preschool and the beginning of kindergarten and was frequently confused on when the transition really happened.  After a kindergarten meeting at school he asked "so do I go to kindergarten tomorrow then?"  He is thrilled.  There are so many moments I look at him and he looks so "grown up" compared to the cute preschooler I've known.  He loves playing outside, any sports, helping Daddy with the car (hopefully to be finished or driveable for the first day of school), working out with Mommy (he has quite the passion for running on the "treadmiller" and pushing the limits on his speed- he is currently up to a quick 8.9 mph sprint), and playing with his sister.  He attended Spanish camp earlier this summer so likes to pull out Spanish words here and there, but insists he didn't learn any new ones, just ones I had taught him previously.  His goal for the summer is to be able to swim a far enough distance to go down the waterslide at our outdoor pool, and he is well on his way- working hard at swimming lessons in the lap pool.  He also is preoccupied with time lately, and knowing exactly what time he needs to do things at.  He has figured out that if he gets down for a nap lately (yes he still naps most days at least an hour), that we make him stay in his bed later (and "change his numbers" on a card that dictates when he can read and play quietly and get up), so is vigilant about getting to naptime on time (even if it means going by himself).  Medically, we have "finished" the workup our docs think is appropriate for his gut stuff, so we are left with "idopathic" (meaning we don't know) problems and just to stay on Miralax indefinitely.  He did get his big bike (with his hard earned money-which was a sweet story I should share later) and has been biking a lot- even teaching himself "tricks."

Anika is qutie the little spit fire, who keeps us all on our toes.  She is anxiously awaiting her birthdat ad has been tellig people for months that she is starting to be 3.  She loves babydolls, being big, pink and purple (and orange, white, and blue- in that order), "I spy", riding her brother's scooter (she is wicked fast), fruit, bread, and "tandy" (candy).  She varies  on a daily basis whether she is big or a baby, and will correct you when you get it wrong.  She cracks us up with her comments, especially her "oh yeah" that she interjects after almost everything.  Her eyes are huge when she is excited or proud of herself.  She tries so hard to be big like her brother, that sometimes she moves to the next step of things early.  At church, she moves to the next room at 3, but has been in there for months because she enjoys the bigger kid activites (and fruit snacks), but will climb in the baby swing for tens of minutes at a time if you let her.  She likes to give hugs and multiple kinds of kisses (butterfly, eskimo, and her made up bird kisses).  She has been in her big girl bed since Christmas and has only fallen out once or twice, and different to BJ who would cry and run toward the door, she cries and crawls back in bed to go to sleep.  She likes to tell you secrets quitely in your ear and then blurt out loudly verbatim what she just told you.  She is constantly saying things that are hysterical, but I'm drawing a blank recalling them right now.

I'll try to post pics later, when I can figure out how to get them from my phone or tablet to blogspot.