Preschool, Kindergarten, CCD and Sports

Our little man has made quite the impression on his teachers at the KCKCC Childcare Center. Just like his big brother before him, he is a hit with the ladies. They tell me his is an excellent little man, never cries, smiles, plays with toys, eats good, is up for anything, laughs all the time and is just generally really good natured. 

He had never attended a Center before, so I have been a little nervous for him these last two weeks. He did already get pink eye, and has had a cold with a nasty cough all week, but I suppose that is to be expected since he has never been around so many kids before. Prior to this he was home with me his first 9 months, and we shared a nanny with a friend of mine the next 6 months, and then we hired a nanny to watch our three this summer for 2 months, so he has only been around a few kids and mostly just in my home from then up until now. 

So other than a few minor illness bumps in the road, Walter is adjusting nicely. He is already learning so much. He sleeps in a cot (tear!) and drinks out of a big boy cup at school (double tear!). I have noticed him trying to talk more and more these past few weeks too. Although it makes me sad that they have to go to daycare, he and Hazel are only at preschool about 25-28 hours per week and the rest of the time are home with me. 

These are pictures Walter's teacher, Ms Simone sent me a few nights ago. She is great with him (probably spoils him a little too much- I have yet to pick him up and not have her or another teacher holding him). She said she has more pictures of him splashing with water and eating chips and dip and will send those soon. Wally goes on his first field trip next Friday to a place called Lil Monkey Bizness so hopefully she'll get pics of him playing there as well and be able to pass them along.

Not sure what's going on here, but he seems to be following directions okay!

Gus is still doing great at kindergarten. Loves it! He had school pictures this week so I'll have those soon to distribute. He took his first test yesterday and got a perfect score. He is so interested in learning to read, and is almost there. He knows his letters, most upper and lower, and has started sounding them out. He loves having me write words and phrases and then he copies them. He has always been great at math and counting (other than the numbers he can't pronounce) but I am hoping his reading skills catch up with the mathematics skills real soon. And he is quite the artist. His little drawings are so detailed and cute. I sure love him. Hard to believe he is 5.

My little 3 year old Hazel is doing well also. She loves her friends and teachers- talks about them non stop. Actually my girl talks nonstop about anything really :) She is interested in choosing her clothes and deciding how I should style her hair in them mornings. She loves learning too. She can almost write out her first name (I've been fighting her on whether her name is Hazel or Hazy- she prefers the later), can identify most of the letters of the alphabet and can identify numbers up to ten, although she can count to 20 almost perfect most of the time. She loves the songs she learns... if I hear "August is our month, August is our month, Hi Ho the Dairy Oh, August is our month" one more time, I might scream. But she is enjoying learning.

Hazel starts soccer on Sept 9th. I am still working on finding karate for Gus- it is just so expensive. I can't find anything for less than 100 bucks a month, but I am still looking. The older two start church school on the 15th of Sept during Mass and I am REALLY looking forward to only having one child in Mass with with Josh and I (can't start Wally until he is 3). I can't imagine what that will be like, only Wally, but am really excited to be able to pay attention in church again. 

Well that's a quick little update. Enjoy your holiday weekend. Hopefully I'll have more picturess to share after our travels back to Iowa for Labor Day. 

Our New Routine

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I get home with Wally and Hazel around 11 am. We get to have lunch together, a little fun time and naps before we go pick up Gus after school by 3:40. Here was lunch last Tuesday. 

At preschool Wally drinks out of a regular glass... Such a big boy!

And I can't complement Walter without Hazel getting a little jealous... So here's a pic of my big girl drinking her milk too :)

My Runners

These two have decided to run with me a little lately. After my runs they'll be waiting by the door for me, and we'll go for a tiny little jog together to the end of the block.

Marshmallows & Living Room Tents

A few weeks ago we roasted marshmallows and camped in the living room.

The Zoo with Gma Sue

Doctors and Dentists

Walter had an appointment with an ENT specialist last week. He has retracted ear drums, which basically feel like his ears need to pop (like on an airplane) but never do. Not sure how or why this has happened but he might need tubes next month. We are trying steroids for a few weeks to see if that will strengthen his Eustachian Tubes, but if not surgery it is. I'll keep you all posted. 

Loving some alone playtime while mommy filled out the paperwork at the office. I was in the middle of trying to fill out what seemed like a mountain of tedious, repetitive paperwork when I heard two people yell "ma'am!". I looked up from my stupor realizing the administrative assistants had been trying to get my attention so that I could retrieve Wally. He was standing and dancing on the table above. They were frantically worried that he might fall- while I, quite used to this type of climbing, considered taking a picture, but did not... I do still have to appear like I haven't given in to the third-child-syndrome of no longer worrying about those things that with my first child would have had me in a full speed dash, diving on the table, seemingly saving my son from the 18 inch potential pummel to the carpeted floor beneath him.

And in other medical news... Miss Hazel had her very first dentist appointment! No cavities yet, but she has a 'watch area' and needs to lay off the apple juice.

Gus also had a dentist check. After they were done with their appointment they were very very happy children... Helium filled balloons, ice cream, stickers, toys, Dora and Cars toothbrushes, bright, colorful children's floss and birthday cake flavored toothpaste... Is this the dentists or Christmas?

Family Time in Iowa

The beach at PM Park with Gma Sue and Papa Randy. 

My mom had a terrible experience trying out the bus system from Mason City to Kansas City. It started with a bomb threat on her bus which led to her being rerouted to a different bus stop than the one she was supposed to get picked up at (of course we could not communicate with her for nearly an hour after she was supposed to be picked up though because her belongings were searched, cell phone confiscated, and she was shuffled to a psuedo interrogation room). If that wasn't enough, her bus experience ended with her never being picked up after I dropped her off at the convenient store/bus stop,leaving her stranded in Missouri about an hour from where I live, with the next bus in 24 hours, no hotels, no shuttles, nothing to get to her safety (the company representative she spoke with on the phone even implied that she wait on the very bench she was sitting for the next 24 hours or so until another bus comes through that might have room for her). Needless to say, the kids and I jumped back in the car, loaded with a very fast packing attempt, picked her up and drove her back home where we enjoyed an impromptu three days in Iowa over my last few days of summer break.

Walter loved the beach and the waves of the lake. It was so amazing to watch him discover sand and water on his tiny toes. His joy was contagious.

Standing on a pirate ship! Ahoy mate!

If all else fails, douse it in ketchup.

Ice cream cones with Gma Sue.

The older two were able to go out on the pontoon with Papa Pat, aunt Tami, me and cousins. L to R: Shae, Josilin, Brea, Hazel, Ty & Gus. Even though H and G  did fall off the tube, they still had an awesome time. 

The youngest three went out together. It was so adorable how Ty was teaching Hazel and Gus the hand signals of tubing, telling them not to be scared, and just calming them down overall. Such a little man!

Ultimate joy!

Shae, Hazel and Brea. Once out there, we literally could not get Hazel off the tube! Well, until she fell off anyway :)

Playing back at grandma Paulette's house. So many fun toys!

Hazel and Gus each got to spend one night alone with the Dillavou grandparents. Paulette sent me this picture the evening of Hazels alone night. Hazel actually fell asleep on her chicken nuggets and applesauce at supper! Boating, cousins, eating out, playing with Gma- too much for my little lady. 

Kindergarten & Fences

Meet and Greet last Tuesday night at Brougham Elementary.

Josh has been working on power washing and staining the fence slowly this summer. With all the rain we have gotten lately there hasn't been many days with two days prior to, followed by a forecasted two days after where he could stain in the middle. This summer has been so wet that rarely do the four or five dry days we need to paint. It has been great on the lawn and the water bill though!

Daddy made Gus the breakfast of his choice last Thursday, on Gus's first day of kindergarten. Menu: chocolate milk, peanut butter toast, peanut butter cereal, bacon and sausage. Gus only had a few bites because as he told me, "butterflies we're dancing in his tummy."

Daddy and Gus.

Me and my baby boy!!!! A big kindergartner now! 

I think Gus is going to be just fine in school. On Friday, Gus's second day of kindergarten, I received a frantic call from his teacher Mrs. Barnett. 

Mrs. B.: "Can Gus have frosting on his cookie? Gus told me that he is allergic to frosting- but I can't find anything on his paperwork?! Oh my gosh, was he not supposed to eat it?!?!"

Me: "Oh no... Gus is not allergic to anything, he was just being silly. I'm so sorry he said that to you!"

Gus, Gus, Gus... He does tell me that he is allergic to the sun (because it makes him sneeze when he looks at it), vegetables and sometimes he swears he is allergic to Hazel. A call from the teacher on his second day in school... This could be interesting :)