Yip and Jen
Yip and Jen are the characters in a little 8 page booklet with probably 50 total words in it that Jonathan read to me this morning. He brings at least one of them home every week and is improving. He still tends to guess at some of the words, but I think that is part of the learning process. I was excited as he was reading to think that three of our children can read! Jakob and Tim are going to an informational meeting tonight for band next year. WOW! I remember when I started playing the clarinet in band. It's exciting, although I know that it likely means there will be one more thing in the house that I'll be crabbing at someone about putting away, practicing, making sure he has it with him to take to school, etc! Oh, and of course one more thing to purchase. It will also be something that for at least the next couple of years is his and not his brothers, so that is a good thing. It will definitely not make our home a more quiet place. :)
Next year, Mattie is going to go to Kindergarten. Oh my goodness, four in school! That hardly seems possible. I can't help but be excited. I'm excited for her because she'll get to have girl friends. That could be good and bad. She is sooooo sassy. Sassy like a girl. The other day she was being told something and retorted with "blah, blah, blah". I just about washed her mouth out with soap!!! She is bossy, doesn't listen, does what she wants. Quite frankly, there are days where I'm not only excited for her, I'm excited for me to have a couple of days without the drama. That sounds terrible I know. When Jon went to school last year, I felt like I was loosing my little companion because he did everything with me. He was such a helper, good listener...he shared his blanket with me at nap time, we read books together. I don't remember that he would sneak off when we were trying to nap. Of course, I do remember that he would sneak food and sneak off when we were trying to clean something. Anyway, I just remember not wanting him to go to school, and with Mattie, I think I'll be just as ready as she is! She is excited to wear a uniform. It will be interesting to see what her brothers will treat her like when she is there with them.
Currently, each of these kids think that the other is out to get them, and they do each do things to purposely make each other mad. I remember my mom telling Alexis and I that we should stop fighting with each other, because there would be a day when we won't have the opportunity to be near each other and we'll wish we would have been nicer to each other when we were together. I feel pretty bad about that. I know I didn't make her move to California, but I feel like if we would've been closer that maybe she wouldn't have wanted to go so far away. Maybe she would've wanted to go where I went, or be closer. I sometimes think about what a great possibility it is that we could have six children living in six different places in the country or the world. I know that would be ok, but I'd really love it if they all just decided to live in the same town! They better stop fighting with each other.
Jakob and I went together to buy groceries last night and then we went to Barnes and Noble and read books and had a treat. It was his day of his week yesterday, so that was his time. It really was nice to spend some time with him, although I know that he and Tim have better talks than he and I do. I remember when he was little and wanted to do everything with me...well, it wasn't like he really had a choice, but he followed me around, cooked with me, went to the park with me, to the store, etc. I told myself that one day he was not going to want to do that, but would prefer to go with Tim. It does not seem like that long ago! I remember baking with him sitting on the counter top in his bouncy seat. Feeding him in his high chair while watching Sesame Street. Now he is the one making cookies by himself and hacking into the locked channels trying to watch Untold Stories from the ER!
Wow, my kids are growing and sooner than later they'll be visiting with a load of laundry in tow, staying for dinner, introducing a girlfriend, calling about how to fix something...OK, I guess I don't really even want to go there right now. Summer is almost here (despite the fact that the weather still feels like winter!) and Jakob actually said how he is looking forward to all that summer brings..."mom working in the garden, smiling, taking care of the baby who is outside with us, the house is clean, we stay outside all day..." I guess we're making memories!
Next year, Mattie is going to go to Kindergarten. Oh my goodness, four in school! That hardly seems possible. I can't help but be excited. I'm excited for her because she'll get to have girl friends. That could be good and bad. She is sooooo sassy. Sassy like a girl. The other day she was being told something and retorted with "blah, blah, blah". I just about washed her mouth out with soap!!! She is bossy, doesn't listen, does what she wants. Quite frankly, there are days where I'm not only excited for her, I'm excited for me to have a couple of days without the drama. That sounds terrible I know. When Jon went to school last year, I felt like I was loosing my little companion because he did everything with me. He was such a helper, good listener...he shared his blanket with me at nap time, we read books together. I don't remember that he would sneak off when we were trying to nap. Of course, I do remember that he would sneak food and sneak off when we were trying to clean something. Anyway, I just remember not wanting him to go to school, and with Mattie, I think I'll be just as ready as she is! She is excited to wear a uniform. It will be interesting to see what her brothers will treat her like when she is there with them.
Currently, each of these kids think that the other is out to get them, and they do each do things to purposely make each other mad. I remember my mom telling Alexis and I that we should stop fighting with each other, because there would be a day when we won't have the opportunity to be near each other and we'll wish we would have been nicer to each other when we were together. I feel pretty bad about that. I know I didn't make her move to California, but I feel like if we would've been closer that maybe she wouldn't have wanted to go so far away. Maybe she would've wanted to go where I went, or be closer. I sometimes think about what a great possibility it is that we could have six children living in six different places in the country or the world. I know that would be ok, but I'd really love it if they all just decided to live in the same town! They better stop fighting with each other.
Jakob and I went together to buy groceries last night and then we went to Barnes and Noble and read books and had a treat. It was his day of his week yesterday, so that was his time. It really was nice to spend some time with him, although I know that he and Tim have better talks than he and I do. I remember when he was little and wanted to do everything with me...well, it wasn't like he really had a choice, but he followed me around, cooked with me, went to the park with me, to the store, etc. I told myself that one day he was not going to want to do that, but would prefer to go with Tim. It does not seem like that long ago! I remember baking with him sitting on the counter top in his bouncy seat. Feeding him in his high chair while watching Sesame Street. Now he is the one making cookies by himself and hacking into the locked channels trying to watch Untold Stories from the ER!
Wow, my kids are growing and sooner than later they'll be visiting with a load of laundry in tow, staying for dinner, introducing a girlfriend, calling about how to fix something...OK, I guess I don't really even want to go there right now. Summer is almost here (despite the fact that the weather still feels like winter!) and Jakob actually said how he is looking forward to all that summer brings..."mom working in the garden, smiling, taking care of the baby who is outside with us, the house is clean, we stay outside all day..." I guess we're making memories!
