Monday, September 13, 2010

Forever.



Thought I'd start with some adorable kids so you wouldn't be quite so "it's about time" about my absence. I know. I say I'll do better and then I leave a picture of my big ol' pregnant self up front and center for 4 months. Jeez. And I thought summer would be the ultimate time for me to catch up! I did have time...I guess I just wasn't feeling it or something? My time was much better spent with our kiddos! We got Ella for all except 2 weeks of the summer! We had lots of fun going to Summer Reading Program events at the local library, hanging out at the house, and just enjoying one another! We got to go on vacation with my family to Branson, MO, in July and with Kaleb's family to the lake in August. Both trips were WONDERFUL and PERFECT and just great times spent with our families!! The kids l-o-v-e-d every minute of both trips, and I know that all the grandparents and aunts and uncle did too! And so did Kaleb and I!

I spent a long of time at the end of the summer working on getting my new classroom ready. I really don't see the point in putting pictures of all this up because they're all on my Facebook, and everyone who reads this is on there, too, so I don't know why I should put them both places?? So I'm not. Anyway, I started back to work for New Teacher Orientation and then Staff Developments Aug. 9. I was worried about Kam, as he had become such the extreme Mama's boy over the summer when it was time for us to leave him with anyone other than family. He cried the first couple of days when I dropped him off, but he quickly fell back into his old routines and he is loving it just as much as he did last year! It's so wonderful to know that he's well taken care of and we LOVE that it's just him and 3 other kids there.

Ella started back to school August 18 as a real kindergartener!!! She LOVES school. She is learning so much...and her mom has been working with her on her reading, so she called us last week and read 14 pages of a 32 page book to us!!! I honestly am flat-out amazed at how quickly she's picked up reading. Not just memorizing pages...recognizing sight-words and sounding out others. She is doing so well!! And she started ballet last week and she loves that as well! We got to go up and hang out with her last weekend for Labor Day and it was so great to see her. I swear she's grew a year's worth just in the few weeks it'd been since we saw her!

I am absolutely loving my new school!! Kaleb and I are both from small towns, and we've always wanted to raise our kids in a place like that as well. And I am really hoping we stay in Orangefield, because I can definitely see our kids making it home! The other teachers have welcomed me with open arms, and I learned the names of my 74 4th graders really quickly! I really think this'll be my best year yet. Woo hoo!

I've been trying to keep up with all the stuff Kam is doing now...I wrote a letter a few weeks ago to him so I wouldn't forget it all. And tonight I added some more. But I wanted to share some of the things he is into right now! And I am also totally copying off of my Due Date Club friend, Elisabeth, and making a list of the words he says. (What a great idea, Elisabeth!!)

We have fallen into a nice little routine of bath, brush teeth, fix a bok (bottle of milk), read some stories, sing a couple songs, and go to bed. He loves it and he LOVES to read!! He has a few favorite books right now. During the day, it's a "Trucks" book that has sliding panels. He brings it to us to read, and we do it, but it's more of a "What kind of truck is this?" book than a story book. At night time, hands down it's "Please, Baby, Please" by Spike Lee and Tonya Lee. Oh. my. goodness. The boy LOVES this book! And I'm glad because I do too!!! I bought it a few years ago for Ella and she quickly fell in love with it! It must just be super-appealing to kids, because now I can put as many books as I can find in front of our boy and he will ALWAYS choose "Please, Baby, Please," or as he says, "Baby, baby, baby!" There is a spread in the book that shows the baby pouring a bowl of cereal on her head and the words are "Not on your HEAD, baby, baby, please, baby!" And I would always rub Ella's head when I'd get to that part. And soon she would start rubbing it herself. Well, I did that to our boy a few times and now not only does he rub his own head when we get to the page, but tonight as soon as I finished reading the page before, he started rubbing his head! Tell me that's not smart! He also obeys when he's told to shut any door. And most of the time when he's told "No" although we are still working on that.

He is talking up a storm...he will mimick almost anything! Here are the words he can say...the first ones are in order of appearance, but that might not last for long. And I am sure I will leave something out!!

1. Mama/Mommy (I think he might've said Dada first...cannot remember)
2. Dada/Daddy/Gaggy (all what he calls Kaleb)
3. Baw (ball)
4. Pappy/bappy/boppy/poppy/pappiesss (paci)
5. Dawg-dawg (dog)
6. Bite (of food)
7. Juice
8. Ah-pa Juice (apple juice)
9. Bok (sippy cup)
10. Eh-wa (Ella)
11. Paw-paw (Kaleb's dad)
12. Ma-ma (He says this for "Mema," Kaleb's mom)
13. Nan-nan (Nan, my mom) (He will NOT say Bip, my dad!)
14. Kay-teee (Katie, my sister)
15. Teh-too (thank you)
16. Puppy
17. Battt (bath)
18. Ride-ride, or sometimes wide-wide (Ride. In the boat, in the golf cart, in the buggy, in the vehicle...the boy just wants to RIDE!)
19. Duck
20. Ta-tuh (tractor)
21. Eat
22. Buhk/Bik (book)
23. Baby
24. Tuck (truck)
25. Tuh-tur (Tucker, Kaleb's parents' dog)
26. Cheeeess (cheese)
27. Cookie
28. Poo-wee (like it's stinky)
29. Na-tee (nasty)
30. Hi!
31. Bye!
32. Heh-oh? (Hello, on the phone)
33. Ca-wi-back (Also, on the phone...we think this must be something like Call you right back?)
34. Peez (please, but not very often)
35. Hossie (horsie)
36. Wabbit (rabbit)
37. Wion (Lion)
38. Eyessss (He does this and then pokes you lightly in the eye=) )
39. Teeeeess (He doesn't have the "th" down yet. It's teeth)
40. Ice
41. Wain, wain, wain (rain, anytime it thunders or rains)
42. Awwww! (When he hugs his friends)
43. Shooss (Shoes)
44. Poo-poo (Gross, I know, but I'm listing 'em all!)
45. Tee-tee (Again, I know, I know!)
46. Nah-na (Nonna, his babysitter)
47. Guhbuhguhbuh (Yo Gabba Gabba, his very favorite TV show at the moment)
48. No, no, no (How could I forget this one??)
49. Yight (Light...he points out EVERY single light we see)
50. Wock-wock (rock rock, in the rocking chair)
51. Pish (Fish--real ones and Goldfish crackers)
52. Wow-wow (Round, round, for when he spins in circles and makes himself dizzy)
53. Aht-Aht-Aht (Hot, hot, hot)
54. Wing-wing (Swing, swing)
55. Pop-pop (Pop-Tart, tied with pancakes and waffles for his favorite breakfast food)
56. Mine!!!

I know I am leaving some out...hopefully I will actually update this when I think of them!! (Or when his grandparents remind me after they read this=) ) He also can point to his hair, ears, eyes, and nose when prompted. And belly. He lifts up his shirt for that one=) He loves flirting with waitresses in restaurants and then acting shy when they talk to him. He's quite the little flirt. He also yells "Hi!" to ladies when we pass them in the store. Unless they speak first, then he's all shy again. Silly boy!! He's started to act like his big sister and pretend to be a dog and sometimes a cat. He drops to all fours, crawls around, and does his impression of a bark or a meow. It is hilarious.
I almost forgot! Kamden also got his first haircut last weekend!! What a change that made in his little looks...the picture you see above is not what he looks like anymore! I will try to get some more pictures up soon.

I think that's enough for tonight. I really will try to do better!!! Oh, here's a picture of me and the other 4th grade teachers in our fabulous new shirts! Yay!