Saturday, June 22, 2013

School's Out!

{Thank you for all of the comments in the last post.  I knew you were out there!}

Our Kai Bear has finished grade 1!  He had a great year and is looking forward to grade 2.  His report card had comments about his ability to lead and be inquisitive and entertain his class (`Mommy, I'm known as the class clown!).  He did so well in everything and as usual, the one thing to work on would be his neatness/focus with writing and drawing.  Can't be good at everything!  He excels in math and loves it so we will be working through a grade 3 math book this summer :)   More importantly, it is so great to see that he works so well with others as well as independently.  That he shows self control and eagerness.  I should mention that at home, there may not be as much self control with his brother around...  
I saw his first report on the last day of school.  He didn't work on it at home so I had no idea what it would look like.  I should let you know that he decided to do in on tarantulas because I don't like them at all and they gross me out :)  Look what he did!


Koen (or `Look Mommy, I'm Darth Maul!' below) just finished preschool.  He still has another year of it.  He is soooooooooooooo ready for kindergarten being a January 2 baby...I feel bad for him.  He knows all his letters and the sounds they make, can put some 3 letter words together using magnets, can count up to 115 and recognizes numbers up to 100.   He has started adding and pretends to do multiplication (Mommy, what's 140 times corn?  Nothing!  I ate all the corn!).  He, like his brother, does not enjoy writing or drawing.  

{And the rest are just iPhone photos...}

Koen is...a little more `spur of the moment'.  He doesn't really think ahead with any of his actions or words, he just goes.  He is the one we really need to watch out for safety wise.  He is silly and energetic and loves learning.  He is very excitable and loves his daily cuddles.  He doesn't ask too many questions but he will talk.  All. Day. Long.

The moment Nya turned one and started fighting Koen for toys, Koen fought back.  Nya will screech and scream and Koen will grab.  These two are now in a new stage.  I'm so glad that they got along so well for that first year.  This should be interesting.  We have to make sure that just because Nya screams the loudest does not mean she gets what she wants.

For finishing grade 1, Kai picked `sushi' for his dinner.  So, we went and got a party platter.  We probably needed more food because the kids just pounded them back.  Nya had a harder time eating them but enjoyed the rice and avacodo.
Koen got to pick dessert for finishing preschool.  We haven't gone yet but we will go to Menchies on a sunny day this week.
I should say for Ms. Nya.  She has changed.  She REALLY wants to get her own way.  Do not try to take off her shoes.  Or take her away from the stairs.  Or take away her toothbrush.  Or try to hold her hand while she walks.  She now walks independently for at least two blocks.  She loves life and wrestling and being outside.  She is still long and so thin.  She has continued to use the toilet and has even gotten to the point where she will walk to the bathroom and grunt so we know she has to go!
And, I am ready for our trip!  Well, still have to get a few more things (mostly medicine).  People's responses are always one of two:

1.  That's a long flight and it will be so hot there.  You are crazy.
2.  That sounds so fun!  Can't wait to hear about it.

Obviously I prefer to hear #2.  I know it's not going to be easy.  I don't even know if I should bring a book with me because I truthfully don't know if I will get to it based on the traveling we've done with our kids in the past.  However, we are adventurous and love trying new things and I think it will be totally worth it!

I had my last session today.  Well,  in Whistler we are doing some extended family photos for our family but then that's it!  Well, and I guess Gary is taking photos at grad, but then that's it! :)

Have a wonderful weekend.
Love, Louise




5 comments:

  1. Yay for summer vacation! Love Kai's tarantula project. He did a fantastic job. The photos of the kids are always amazing.
    I think your trip will be wonderful. Of course there will be good and bad days, but that happens no matter where you are. The opportunity to see the world and a completely different culture should outweigh any of those challenging moments.
    Just remember, even if the flight is not so great, you will soon be at your destination and will never see the people on your plane again:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Elliott has been, and still is, in the same stage as miss Nya as far as screaming and fighting. It's so fun to see them display their own will and personality, but definitely hard to teach that just because they're the loudest doesn't mean they win.

    Good luck on your trip! I plan to live vicariously through you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm also very excited to hear about your trip, and think it's a fabulous thing that you're doing. I got to see first hand through working with visitors that came to our centre in Mozambique (many of them families with young kids), just how much the experience changed each one of their kids. They were all so glad they did it and said just how worth it it was. I can't imagine that you'd ever regret taking the trip, but you sure could regret not taking the trip!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, thank you for the reminder to do last-day pictures! I missed Ezra's actual last day, but i'm sure we can do a re-enactment ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. kai looks like he's matured a lot in one school year! little man:)
    you are an adventurous family and dont let anything stop you, cant wait to hear all about your trip.

    ReplyDelete