What is happening with everyone….?
Logan
Logan is about to turn 3 years old in less than 2
weeks! During the summer we did a couple
sessions of “Tiny Tot” swim “lessons”. He loves the water; however, we felt
that this class was too “baby like” for him because it wasn’t doing much in the
way of getting him prepared to be in the preschool level class without Mom or
Dad. He didn’t want anything to do with
the teacher and at times would just cling to us even though he liked the water.
Luckily, a couple years ago (since Shaun was this age), the pool where we go
started a new class called “Super Baby Swim” for 2 year olds where the parent
still gets in the water, but the format of the class is more like the preschool
level, where the kids stand on the table and swim with the teacher, etc.
Unfortunately, the class is only offered on M/W mornings, but Bill was willing
to do it all. So, August-December Logan and Dad faithfully went to Super Baby
Swim for 5 months! Logan kept improving and we think he is ready to move up
next month to Preschool 1; ready or not he is registered to start on February
4! We’ll see how the first day of that goes when he realizes that Dad is not
getting in too! But, Cousin Antonio is
in that class, so they will be together; hope that helps!
Logan loves going to story time at the library once a week.
It is just Logan and Dad since Shaun is in school. Even if he doesn’t
participate in the singing that they do there in class, he is always singing
around the house and occasionally sings a song from story time, so he is taking
it all in. He loves to pick out books along with the books that we have
reserved.
We went and saw Sesame Street Live in May and Thomas the
Train in July for Logan. We went the same year that Shaun was 2 to both, so we
knew that this was a good age, and they loved both. Thomas the Train was at the
Snoqualmie rail station. This is an annual event that they put on for the kids
with a big Thomas engine and even a 30 minute train ride and activities.
Logan’s first sports experience was with Kids Love Soccer in
July-August. He seemed to be able to take it or leave it, but still had fun I
think.... I took 2 weeks off in July and so was able to take him to his first
one since we signed up for a morning time. This was the Mommy, Daddy & Me
level, so the parent is out there with the child as they go about kicking the
ball while doing an activity like pretending to be an animal or finding a
certain color cone, etc.
Logan participated in his first program at church for
Christmas. He stood up with all the other kids, but didn’t really do any
singing. That’s ok; I was just glad he went up there, because in the dress
rehearsal he screamed and would not even go up on stage.
Shaun
Shaun is in Kindergarten and almost turning 6!! I still
can’t believe it and it is January. He
absolutely LOVES it. He is in half day which goes from 8:25-11:25 Monday
through Thursday and every other Friday from 8:25-1:15. Fridays are the
school’s shorter day, so there isn’t time to get in both the AM & PM Kindy
classes, so they trade off and go all day. He gets to ride the bus to school
each day and home on Fridays. He LOVES the bus. We are in the walk zone but
right on the line and it is ok to go to a bus stop, so why deal with the zoo at
school when we don’t have to? The walk zone kids are automatically assigned AM
(which we wanted), so there isn’t a bus to take them home mid day (because they
are in the walk zone), so Bill picks him up at the end of his day. On Fridays
he gets out at the same time as the rest of the school and so there is a bus to
ride home, yay for Shaun!
Mrs. Lee, Shaun’s teacher is great and she adores Shaun.
From what we can tell, Shaun is a good student! At the fall parent/teacher
conference Mrs. Lee said that Shaun gets very into everything that they are
doing and is at the top of the class in most everything. What more does a
parent want to hear? Shaun started reading last April, and I am pretty sure he
is way above the average student in his class. He can’t get enough of books.
Along with the reading we do together, he always wants to sit in his bed after
he has been tucked in and read for a bit. I feel like such a bad parent when
occasionally it is too late and I have to tell him to go to sleep and not read;
there are usually tears…
Shaun continues to love his sports. He can’t wait for the
practices and games. In March/April he did indoor soccer, June/July Tee Ball,
September/October outdoor soccer, and just last week he started basketball.
Outdoor soccer was the first time we went outside the Y and did it through the
club. I figured now that he is elementary age, it is a good time to branch out
and do the “normal” team clubs. There was no basketball for kindergarteners
through the club, so we are back at the Y this year, but I just signed him up
for little league Tee-ball/baseball that starts in April through South
Snohomish Little League. The only thing I know about this yet is that it is
April-mid June and consists of 2 games a week and we had to volunteer or pay
more money so we will be working 2 shifts at the concessions! Sounds like it
will be a bigger commitment; we’ll find out!
Shaun also continues to love his swim lessons. He has been
in the Advanced Preschool level 4 since June, twice a week. They swim back and
forth across the deep end building endurance and learning different strokes.
This advanced level goes through the age of 6, so he will be able to stay in
this level for another year, unlike P1-3 which only goes through the age of 5.
Then it’s time to move on up to the Beginner series for 6-16 year olds…
He lost his first tooth in May, and has lost 4 others since and currently has another lose tooth. One of his top front teeth is about half way in and the other top front is just starting to come through. The bottom front two are both pretty much in.
Shaun finished his second year of AWANA Cubbies in May and started his first year of AWANA Sparks in September. He is so good at memorizing! He gets it from Dad. He already completed his first year book. That entailed memorizing 20+ verses and the 27 New Testament books. He is now on the extra credit book, which he has already completed the review of all verses in the year 1 book and is now working on new verses. Bill and I are both helping out in Sparks this year by being a leader in the small groups who the kids say their verses too. It can be challenging at times dealing with wild K-2nd graders!
Bill and I
I don’t think much has gone on with the 2 of us that is
really note worthy. I just took 2 weeks vacation over the holidays; the same
time period that Shaun had off from school. I am excited to be able to take
time off when Shaun is off school as well. In a few years I will also be able
to take off their spring break while still taking off 2 weeks in the summer and
2 weeks at Christmas; one of the small benefits at being at my job now for 12.5
years!
Bill is counting down his time left in the Navy before he
can retire. The clock currently sits at 3 years 8.5 months; 9/30/17! He will
have his 20 years in then, and wants out! Back on 9/21/97 he started his Navy
adventure; happily that is what brought him to me! J
Oh, and I can’t forget, we took an overnight trip to Great
Wolf Lodge in November. For those that don’t know, it is a gigantic indoor
water park/resort just south of Olympia. Logan had fun and Shaun really had a
blast. Kids at least 42 inches tall can go on all but one slide; you have to be
48 inches tall to go on the “Tornado”. Shaun was 47.5 inches, so just missed
going on the Tornado, but that was fine. There are a bunch of other slides that
he loved! He has no fear! Dad & Shaun checked out a couple of the slides
first while Logan and I went to his area. Then when it was my turn, Shaun
showed me the ropes and told me it would be fine and to not be scared… Logan
had fun too in the kiddy area and pool areas. We definitely want to go back
when Logan is tall enough to go on the slides too! We got a room with a bunk
area for the boys, which they loved also! Let’s just say that we were ALL tired
by the time those 2 days were over!
For pictures of all of the above mentioned activities,
please click on over to Facebook on the appropriate monthly picture. I will try and be better at blogging, but no guarantees!
Happy New Year 2014!
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