2nd and 3rd days of school

The second day of school found Addie wearing one of her new dresses, which when seeing it on the hanger she said, "There's no way that will fit me. It's way too big." I suggested she try it on and low and behold she came into my room BEAMING and said, "I can't believe I can fit this!" 

The report from the second day of school was positive. Ben made friends with Ibn, a boy in his class.  When I asked him what Ibn was like, he gestured "this tall" and showed his hand about 6 inches over Ben's head! So now I'm really curious if Ibn is really that tall and if he is, that's amazing considering that Ben is at 90% for boys his age. Although technically Ibn could be almost 7 years old, but still.

Addie reported that she had fun playing on the swings with a girl from Ben's class.  

 Today was the third day of school.  Let me tell you, Miss Adelaide tried on these shorts last night and immediately I could see that she felt mature.  like teenager mature.  Something about the real belt just made them awesome to her.  She assured me she would certainly be wearing this outfit the next day. This morning my eyes weren't even open before she came bounding in my room fully dressed, and fully sassy.  See how Ben's chin now has the scab off? That's my handsome boy's face.

This is when I told them to look sassy. Apparently sassy=hand on hip.

Today's report after school was that Ben made many friends. Ibn, Zane, Isabella (Issy) and Paris were his new four best friends.  Addie said her new best friend is Lee, the boy who sits next to her.  During some activity he drew a picture of a girl iceskating and said it was Addie.  Addie was happy to be included, but explained that Sanyiah, the other girl at her table, looked sad. So Addie drew a picture of herself skating with the three other kids at her table, Lee, Sanyiah and Kevin.  She actually said, "I know how sad it makes you feel to not be included, so I wanted to make Sanyiah feel better." Pretty empathetic right? Stories like that make me a proud mom.  Similarly in Ben's class they read a story "about a bucket."  Essentially it's about how each person has an emotional bank account (this concept is from the man who wrote the Seven Traits of Highly Successful People-- or something like that name) that needs to be filled up by others so that when someone makes a withdraw that account still has enough to be on the positive side.  The kid version, which Ben did a superb job of explaining, is that each kid has a bucket over their head and to feel good about themselves they need that bucket full.  As Ben was listening to Addie's story about Sanyiah he said, "see? you helped her fill her bucket up." So the concept clearly worked for him. I think I'm going to use that analogy now for anytime they are having some not so nice behaviors (which I know is shocking, but happen on a regular basis). A cool thing that Ms. Melgarejo did after reading the bucket story was she brought out a bucket and "warm fuzzies" and explained that when she overhears/catches someone doing a warm and fuzzy for someone in the class, she'll put that warm and fuzzy creature in the bucket.  When the bucket is full of warm and fuzzies, the class gets a pizza party. There are little warm and fuzzies and there are big warm and fuzzies.  Someone gets a big warm and fuzzy when they stand up for someone else or something similar.  Clearly, big warm and fuzzies fill the bucket up faster than little ones.  I think it's a great way to have the class learn empathy and compassion.

It's going to be a great year.  

One quick funny story to share. Tonight at dinner Addie told me she made a bad choice at recess. I asked what it was and she explained they were having a tickle fight (the concept makes me cringe, but whatever) and that Ryan apparently didn't like the tickling so he was going to go tell on her. (Not funny yet, I know). So Addie was freaking out that she would move from green to yellow and she watched Ryan go tell one of the kindergarten teachers, all the while Addie was begging "please don't move my color, please don't move my color."  Addie explained that Ryan went to tell "Ms. Um...ummm.... Ms. Ummmm..." Ben tries to chime in with the teachers name too, but he can't come up with her name.  Addie says, "Ms. Happiness?" and Ben says, "Yes, Ms. Happiness."  I stop and say, "do you guys mean Ms. Goodman?" Both exclaim, "Yes!! Ms. Goodman, that's who it is." So I thought it was hysterical that they could attribute the characteristics of her name to be Ms. Happiness.  Cute.

First day of school

 Twas the night before school, when all through the house, the backpacks were packed and busting at the seams with school supplies. 

The night before Addie and Ben slept over at Graham's house, so by Sunday night they were in bed and asleep by 6:30pm! Monday morning they were up bright and early at about 6:50am, and they were roaring to go!

 Sunday night I had a mini-Mommy-fail when I went to look at the clothes we had bought for the kids. None of them screamed "first day of school outfit" so once my little cherubs were in bed, I went out to shop and found some better choices. No too shabby, right? I didn't even try to color coordinate them, I swear. I actually gave Addie five options on what to wear and this is what we chose. Look at Ben's chin--that's the now dried scab from his face plant on the obstacle course. So all of his school pictures look like this. 

 Something about the dreary rainy weather made the flash on my camera interact with their eyes.  I'm not kidding, every other picture I said, "you've got drunk eyes." "Now you've got drunk eyes." and so on. Seriously. Look.

 Look.

 See?

 For real.

 A little better (and there you can see the new paint and trim color we did in the dining room!)

 Solos were fine, but the duo shots were all kinds of messed up eyes!

 Right?

 This was a time when Addie was giving Ben a kiss. 

 Addie had chosen to have her hair braided after bath time, to give the waves. She really wanted to crimp it, but I told her the braids would be better for the first day. I am quite happy with it!

 With their backpacks on.

 Doing the "backpack train" clearly a first day of school custom.

 Ben wanted to do his "pose." Don't mess with him! And sorry I didn't close the front door, because you can see the buckets full of stuff that we're getting together for the yard sale in a week. Oops.

 Cool second grader. 

 Awesome kindergartner

 Fun pose!

 And the ceremonial kindergarten split. I don't know either.

 By the time it was time for drop off, the rain was starting to sprinkle.

 Addie couldn't stop smiling. Ben wanted to get out of the rain.

 Here he comes into classroom 1!

 Once we dropped Ben off, I walked Addie down to her room.

 There was a quick stop to chat with Mr. Farr the principal. She told him, "I was so bummed it was summer and we didn't have school."  Right. Like lounging in Jamaica was punishment.

 Beaming with pride as she walked into her classroom 102.

 All settled in! 

 I stopped back by Ben's class to take some pictures. Ben didn't know I was there...

 until the flash went off and he smiled. 

 There he is in the back right.  His first assignment was to draw a self portrait. One of my favorite things about Benjamin and his self-image is he always draws himself with bright red hair.  Ms. Melgarejo used Ben's picture as an example to the little boy at his table.  It was cute to see. 

As I left I took this very artistic picture. It was raining and I wanted a picture looking in on him.

When I picked them up that afternoon, Ms. Melgarejo said "Great first day. I love a man who I know I can count on." Overall I think it will be a great year.  The kids think the coolest part is that Addie's second grade class has recess with the two kindergarten classes! So they are together for recess. Addie's class eats lunch with the fourth grade. Ben eats with the third grade. I don't get it, but it works I guess!

Going back to school

 Thursday was the back to school block party, where the kids got to meet their teachers, get acquainted with their room, etc.  Here are my kindergartner and second grader!!

 So grown up now!! And it's really great to have them at the same school now too.

 Ben is in Ms. Melgarejo's class, just like Addie was. We are thrilled with that!

 He found his table, which is nicely situated near the bathroom.

 Addie's class is downstairs, near the room she was in last year.  Her teacher has a nearly-impossible name to pronounce. She was pretty happy to be there and see everyone. I don't think ever family who walked through the door garnered a round of applause from the teachers!!

 In the gym was this awesome inflatable obstacle course. The kids thought it would be so much fun. Ben was off...

and this was how he came off the "slide."  I actually thought he may have broken his neck. He was fine, except for a little blood blister which formed on his chin, sort of like a rug burn. (Remember that for the first day of school post!)

Overall, pretty excited kids for the upcoming school year.

Last of Jamaica

The last few days of Jamaica were more of the same..sun, sand, water park and drinks!

Benjamin was thrilled because they finally had the chocolate muffins for breakfast again. We grabbed six and took the leftovers to the room for him to bring down the next two mornings for breakfast.

 Little children of luxury (in Nourie grotto, of course)

 Cheers!

 Aunt Keri and Addie

 Addie and Quinn Adelaide!! I love how happy she looks here.

 Daddy's girl.

 Beverages for all!

 Newlyweds

 Two Mrs. Nouries

 Cutie having fun.

 Scott and Keri are at the top of the slide, as Graham and Addie came down.

 PopPop and something delicious

 Little swimmer

 Brian and I lounging in the water park

 Still smiling (this is actually the next day from the beginning set of pictures- I have to go off of bathing suits to differentiate!)

 I got adventurous and brought my camera INTO the water park so I could capture some good action shots. Here's Ben coming down the tube slide. It was long and windy.

 Pretty happy.

 PopPop coming down the tube slide too

 The force and current off the slide was strong.  The buoy lines tried to keep people from spinning out of control and into others who were just enjoying the water!

 Ben did a stellar job of keeping his ears above water. It wasn't easy, but he gave it a good effort.

 Chilling in the shade.

 Brian, Addie and Graham

 This is the four of us coming down the body slide together.

 Entering the water...look at Addie's face.

 I prepared Ben that I was gonna grab him as soon as we hit the water so his head didn't get wet.

 Pretty fun series of pictures, right?

 Afterwards my friend Shevon, from the activities staff, was walking around on the stilts again. It was one of the scheduled activities a few times that week. I had tried it twice before and had been totally successful (the only guest, by the way, who tried it successfully). This time I happened to have my camera with me, so Addie snapped some shots.

 The first day I did it, I wrapped my big toe around the bottom of the stilt and it was so badly bruised that I thought I broke it. Alas, I did not.

 Professional (almost)

 This is how most guests look while on the stilts, with Shevon holding on to them.

Our last full-day in Jamaica! Bye!!! 

Overall a fun nice trip. The kids were so funny weighing the pros and cons (no cons, really) of a cruise versus Disney versus Caribbean resort vacation.  Tough life for them right?