Either it is because I try really hard to do everything I do very well or I am totally distracted by the nice weather, but way too many days have gone by without even a mention. And, so, what I am going to catch up with is pretty old news mixed with a little new. And, there is some big news, too. I wish I hadn't fallen behind on the entries. I am so sorry, it is such a disappointment.
Greta is still logging hours of preschool each week. She often comes home with ripped pants so I know we are getting our monies worth. The little sweetie has a crush. Dane. Will this name be remembered and mentioned in the years to come? He is mentioned quite often now, and the little sweetie blushes a deeper pink than she was when she was born. She likes him. He makes her giggle with abandon and I am pretty sure he has no idea why. She stands in front of him, just giggling - enough that tears even come to her eyes. I think it may freak the poor boy out. Greta has come home with stories about Dane standing on her head and kicking her. And she smiles and says, "I like it." What a crush!
Jack is rockin our world with hilarity and bold boy-ness. But, besides this he continues to be an anomaly. Never was there a boy who is so tidy that he straightens his room every night before bed....everything in its place, everything just so. And, never was there a boy that is so tidy, yet causes such absolute chaos daily. He and I have our eyes on one another. It is a showdown. It is unknown who will win. I am wearing down due to the skill of non sleep that the boy possesses. And, for the record, he is loved for all of these qualities. Every night Derek takes Greta and Jack up to brush their teeth and change into jammies, and then read stories, kisses and good night. Jack gets out of bed and taunts us by either opening his door and asking questions, or just lying on the floor with his face on the ground to look under his door and taunt the cat. We heard him many nights ago knocking into his door, and Derek and I went to the stairs opposite of his door. We shone a flashlight down the hall and heard Jack shriek. We see his pretty eyelashes and eye squinting at us from the crack. He doesn't care. He asks, "Where da cat?"
Jack is enrolled in Preschool next fall and this goes along with my big news. He is going to attend Bethany Lutheran Day school! And, Greta is also attending Kindergarten there! We are thrilled to have found a school that we feel is a good fit for instilling the values we want our children to possess. It was a soul searching process and I feel excited about the final decision. We attended Kindergarten round up at the elementary school down the street. But, Derek and I both left feeling unsettled and maybe a bit disappointed with "the way things went down". We decided to look around and this actually blew my mind, because we moved to Kansas so we wouldn't need to put our kids into private schools. But everything happens for a reason.
It costs 300.00 a month to attend Kindergarten in Kansas for a full day. We were content with sending Greta for a half day, but I found out from a handful of retired teachers from this area that she would need to go a full day or she would miss out on a lot of instruction. Class size would be between 20 and 30 and there would be too many kiddos coming into the system that would need extra help with simple things like sitting down or lining up. We decided that since we would be paying for her kindergarten year, we wanted to be sure we were paying the best school. Bethany is about 4 blocks from our home. Derek, Greta, Jack and I went for a tour. The principal met us at the front door and took us back to her office were, in a basket filled with blankets, she and her 2 sons were nursing baby squirrel orphans. She gave us the paper work and led us to the kindergarten room. The children ran to the door to meet Greta and Jack and surrounded them...almost scared Jack to death! They had made glittery fishes and were kissing Greta and Jack with them. The teacher bent down on one knee and introduced herself. There was a great feeling of nurturing from her and every other teacher we met. The kids were well cared for. They had written a book as a class and had it bound. There were 11 in the class. Jack will be across the hall, and the older kids (2nd through 8th grade) are separate. Their lunch is catered in from the grocery store down the street. They do a musical every year. HELLO! They also have smart boards and touch screen computers. (Derek was pleased!)
It feels good to know, from a stay at home momma, that my babies are going to be nurtured a little longer out of this nest. Baby steps for us both.
Today we took little man Jack for a hearing and eyesight screen. We feel like he might need a little extra help with his speech development. And, God knows, he has a lot to say. After an hour with a therapist and early childhood development teachers, our fears were confirmed. He needs some therapy. I am glad we are able to help him, I hope it makes things easier for him. He gets so frustrated when not understood and I know he is bright and thoughtful. He is even aware that he talks different. He wants help, bless his little heart. This journey is getting exciting and I know there will be more stories to tell as we take it.
I won't be gone again, so long.
