So it has been a very long time since I have updated this thing. It just takes so long to download pictures that I get frustrated and quit! Well, tonight I'm going to try and keep my cool and give a little update on our family.
Everything has been going great around here. Liam is in a a pre-k program and he loves it! He is making some great friends and learning a lot. He doesn't like it when I ask him what he did that day, but he will offer up information willingly if he's left alone. Here a few of the things he has learned:
1. all about books - he knows where to find the author and the title page. Before we read any book he quizzes me on where the title page is and who wrote the book.
2. all about making healthy choices - he knows which foods are healthy and which are "junk". He has learned different ways of exercising; like situps, push ups, and a few yoga poses. The other day I cracked open a Diet Rite and Liam said "What is that mom?" I replied "my drink". "MOM! That is junk! It is a soda and it is junk!" He sure did put me in my place! LOL!
3. all about emergency vehicles and procedures - his class took a field trip to the airport fire department where they learned all about saving people from airplane fires. Kelly went along on the field trip and the kids were really impressed that he was a pilot. Liam was definitely the COOL kid that day (and I'm sure Kelly's ego was stroked as well). Liam also knows all about STOP, DROP, and ROLL.
4. 9/11 - when I picked Liam up from school on 9/11 he got in the car and was so anxious to tell me something, "MOM! DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ON 9/11?!?!?!?!" "Yeah Buddy, I do, it was a very sad day."
"THE UNITED STATES WAS ATTACKED!!!! TWO VERY BAD MEN GOT IN A PLANE AND CRASHED IT INTO THE TWIN TOWERS!!!!!" He continued to tell me the details of that horrible day and it was very obvious it affected him. We talked a little bit about our country and how some people in the world don't like how we do things. I also talked to him about the military and all the great things they do. We are in the unique situation to be near 2 large military bases and many of our friends serve this country. It was cool being able to explain our soldiers and their sacrifice, while also giving a familiar face to them. I think it helped him understand things better. I named all of our friends and family who are in the military.
Liam has learned a lot so far this year, but those are the things that stick out to me now. He is also learning a lot socially. He is learning about making friends and dealing when people don't like you. It is a frustrating thing to watch your child learn, but it is necessary and it has been fun to watch him grow and develop and mature. He is also picking up on those annoying things that school age children do: he LOVES to copy us "Liam come here." "Liam come here!" , he also talks about tooting and poops all the time, and he loves to burp and then tell me that it was an accident. I'm sure this behavior will not change for the next 35 years. We have also learned that Liam is the class clown. I suspected this about him. When Kelly returned from the school field trip he confirmed that yes indeed Liam is a clown and loves to get a laugh! It hasn't gotten him in too much trouble, but I hope he keeps it in check. I guess he comes from a long line of class clowns (MOM AND JILL!!!!!!)
Arie is.... well Arie is Arie. She is the girliest girl you will ever come across, but also loves to play anything that Liam loves to play. She must always have at least one purse (usually she carries two), and she wants to where a dress or a skirt anytime she has to wear clothes. Everything is a princess something... princess ninjas, princess cereal, princess shoes, princess carseat, princess swords etc. She cracks us up and drives us crazy all in the same breath. She is definitely in the middle of the terrible twos, but she makes up for it with her dancing and funny remarks. She is a girl who knows what she wants and when she wants it and she doesn't take no for an answer. She is fiercely loyal to her family too, especially Liam. I will be punishing Liam for hitting her and she will say "NO MOMMY! You can't yell at Liam!" or "You CAN'T put Liam in timeout! He doesn't like it!" She never minds her own business and she rarely knows why she is getting mad at everyone. But she will do and say anything to defend her brother! She doesn't really care that much about Ryder yet. She only shows him attention when Liam does. Oh yeah - LIAM LOVES RYDER! Arie loves when I tell her the Princess Diaries. They are stories I make up for her. They always involve the same four characters... Princess Arie, Princess Saryn, Princess Georgie and Prince Braden. I think I've made up 25 stories about those 4 and if I accidentally tell it different than the time before she gets mad. It is such a joy to have our little Princess Lulu, but I'm not gonna lie... I've about run out of steam! My mother cursed me well!
Ryder is growing so fast and I hate it! He is coming up on 6 months and I can't believe that in another 6 months he will be a toddler :( He is roly poly and so sweet. He smiles constantly and his laugh is the cutest. He LOVES his big brother and he laughs at anything Liam does or says. He rolls all over the place and he still spits up about 45 million times a day. I'm sure Kelly and I have the permanent stench of spit up, but I don't care! He is so sweet and so wonderful I just can't get enough of him. I'm searching for any sort of special powder that will keep him a baby forever. No luck yet though :(
Can you get any sweeter than this?????
It seems as though you can.....
Momo and Zach.
