First grade and growth

I have started writing about Preston starting first grade (!!!) several times. Every time it has started differently. I just haven't had clarity because I have been getting information from the eyes and ears of a six year old. Little foggy.

Preston was indifferent about the start of school. He looked forward to seeing friends and making new friends. He looked forward to lunch and recess. We had discussed how different first grade would be and how exciting it would be to see all the new things he would learn. He wasn't thrilled at the idea of being behind a desk all day.

The first few weeks have been a bit stressful for my boy. I hate it. He is on edge, defensive, and short tempered. He is far from relaxed and happy. So I am feeling a lot of the same. I just want to scoop my boy up and make it all better. I know he needs to grow, though. I know he needs to learn how to adjust.

I know he needs this year to prepare him for teachers that won't accept sloppy handwriting, or bosses that don't allow mistakes. I just hate this lesson.

We have tried so hard to always make sure that he was surrounded by love and warmth and happiness. We have wanted nothing but happiness and comfort for him.

I know with loss of comfort comes with growth and strength, so I am holding back. Letting him experience this challenge. I will do my very best to make sure that he knows that we are here for him, but I will also let him find his own way.

This, too, shall pass, and it's all a phase. Right?

The last beach trip

I hate the last beach trip of the summer. I always feel like a little bit of me is left there. I hate that drive home. Then I settle in to dreading a long cold winter. Normally, I would try and sneak in one more trip, but we have big plans in the next month, and it won't happen this year.

Let me just start by saying that my kids and I must be the slowest travelers on the planet. Being in the car with the little one is similar to the end of the world for him. Preston is a great rider, Grant- you've got 15 minutes to get there. We left my mom's at 12:30, and then took five and a half HOURS to drive 207 miles. I will say we made a pit stop at Bass Pro Shop and took our time, but still...



Once we got camp set up, and took the boys down to the main strip to see the water and walk on the pier. Always a good time of running and checking out the catch of the day. Mainly just crabs that day.







We wandered down the boardwalk some and got ice cream and listened to a band until the ice cream kicked in and boys got wild. Preston has been wanting to have Grant "sleepover" in his room for a while and he finally got his wish in the camper.



The next day was a wash and rained all. Day. Long. So, we loaded kids in car seats and drove around looking for something indoors to do. We ended up at the best produce stand that had home made ice cream, and amazing produce. After we watched a truck back into a ditch and get stuck we got out of there before we got stuck in their parking lot.

At least we were rewarded for putting up with all the rain.

On Friday we made it to the beach for several hours. Preston took on boogie boarding and did amazing until the tide started coming in and wiping him out. He spent almost the entire time watching some 11/12 years olds swimming just a tad too deep for him and wishing he could be out that far.

Brandon came just in time to help the boys fish, but NOTHING was biting. We even took the kayaks out the next morning and Brandon got really frustrated that he didn't even get a bite. I blamed it on all the rain. So we spent Saturday afternoon at the beach until just before another storm rolled through.





We managed to get dinner made, but ate inside because another storm came. I think we saw more rain than sun. It ended up raining off and on all night, so we were good and wet to pack up and head home.



Preston and I made a deal before we left that if he had good behavior for the entire trip, then he could bring a hermit crab home. Meet Mr. Pinchers. Yay. Why didn't someone warn me that hermit crabs were high maintenance?

Adventure

The last two weeks have been packed full. It has me appreciating days like this:

Once we dig out from under out mountains of laundry sorted in the kitchen (it seemed like a good idea at the time) we will probably venture out more, but for now, I am reliving the last two weeks. Some of the memories are through mosquito bites that seem to never end.

We started our two week adventures visiting my cousin, aunt and uncle. All of my extended family is in Ohio, so we go every summer and spend a week hopping around the state. They have always had an open door to me, and have been my only connection to my dad's family for years. My uncle actually stepped in for the father/daughter dance at my wedding.

My cousin was kind enough to let us invade for two days, and for only seeing each other once a year for a couple days, the kids were very patient with each other and got along very well. Lauren is such a sweet girl to let us use her room when we come!

They took us to COSI, a science museum in downtown Columbus, and it was three floors of pure fun learning. I would love to have a great science museum so close! The kids and the adults were beat by the time we were done, so we rewarded ourselves with ice cream.



The myth buster's truck, not sure if you are allowed to climb on it, but I have 2 boys...

Preston loves to explore their yard because they are in woods, so there are tons of creatures running wild and lots to explore.

We packed up on Tuesday and headed straight to my Grandma's to see her. By the time we got there she was in bed, so we met my Aunt Janie, cousin Jake, and his daughter Alanna. We had dinner at the pizza place near them, and took the extras back to our hotel with us and crashed. Side note- I don't think Preston fell asleep before 9:30 all week!

We got up the next day and decided that we would head to my Grandma's nursing home and hang out and entertain her. The boy's definitely put on a show for her, we brought some toys, and sidewalk chalk. She requested that I draw some flowers, so I lined the sidewalk for her. Preston found a grasshopper, and was so happy to impart some bug knowledge to her.

We checked out the Cleveland Zoo the next day. While we were in Cleveland I wanted to go see the house that my grandparents owned. I couldn't believe that the new owner hadn't changed a thing, and it looked exactly the same. He wasn't home, but the neighbors still lived there and they let me take the boys down to the creek (pronounced: crick) and show them where my cousins and I used to spend days at a time building forts and making up games. I have so many memories at that house, I could write a whole post. If I could collect houses...

We spent most of the day trying to find our way around the zoo (there is one huge hill) and called it a day after we finally found the gorillas. 

We had dinner (and a cold swim) at my Uncle Bill's. I haven't seen them in close to 15 years, but managed to track down an e-mail address earlier in the week, and got in touch with them, so we had a last minute visit. It turned out that my cousin was playing for the county baseball league, and we made plans to see him play once we got home. It was good to reconnect with another side of my dad's family.

We spent our last day visiting with my Grandma some more. It turned out that an Aunt and Uncle that live in ID were also visiting that weekend, so we got to spend a couple hours talking to them. We decided that next year we would try and plan a better family reunion and maybe invite more of the fam dam!



Proof that I was there!

Next up- the beach!

Six

I need to get this out. Holy Crap.

Okay, how did we get to six already? How did we get here so fast? I know the time passes quickly, but I had not idea how fast six years can rush by. I felt like at 5, I could still almost pretend that he was still little. Six, though? Nope, he grown. He knows how to swim under water and ride a bike without training wheels.



He has pushed me to new understandings and helped reshape me and every opinion I thought I had. I know so much more because of him.



He has blessed us in more ways than I know, and he continues to push me and teach me. I am so glad that God gave this boy to me. All his quirks and stubbornness.



He is so smart and inquisitive. He knows all of it and doesn't miss a thing. We have been spelling words for years, but that time is quickly coming to an end.



He is my sensitive soul, and he needs you to choose your words carefully. It all goes straight to his heart, and I hope that the world never "toughens him up." He will be so much better for it.



Last night as he was getting out of the bath, I said to him, "last bath as a five year old!" He smiled and I reminded him that he waited from the time he was three to be five. I asked him if it was all he thought it would be. His response? "Six will be better."

Yes, my dear, it will be.

One down, 12 to go!

It is officially summer vacation around here, but the rain started on the last day of school and hasn't let up since... We had our water balloon fight on the last day of school in the rain. I used warm water, so the balloons were welcome!



Preston has grown up so much this year. He has gained lots of new friends, new phrases, reads like a pro, writes his own books, and has navigated through the first year of school. There have been challenges in finding out that friends aren't always right and that sometimes you need to lead by example. We have encouraged friendships of kids that need some friends.



Our boy grew so much this year and has matured so much. He will now wear a shirt that has something other than a superhero on it. He has moved onto Star Wars and camouflage.



Meet Humphrey the Hamster, a project from school this year!

He is still happy to entertain himself, but loves the company of his brother, even if Grant doesn't do exactly what he wants.



He has really grown and come out of his shell with the help of Karate. He is still shy at times, but he is beginning to speak up as well. He volunteers every lesson to go to the front of class and lead them in their opening. He has earned his orange belt and now wants a karate party.



I can't put my finger on exactly how he has changed, but he is not the same little boy that wanted to be a boxer on the first day. Now we have moved on to either ninja or soldier depending on whether he has just left Karate. He has matured, and grown this year. He has made us so proud of all his accomplishments, and tough lessons.



We are looking forward to a summer filled with pool trips, a zoo visit, hopefully another trip to the water, Jedi training, and lazy summer days! First grade can wait, I have been looking forward to time with my boy.