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Beach Baseball Attraction

5 Sep

Sure, there was boogie boarding, sand digging, wave jumping, Spiderman action figure surfing, creature exploring and bunk-bed sleeping but what Nate loved most about his ocean vacation was – of course – throwing baseball on the beach.

Quite a few other people enjoyed it too. We had one man tell us that Nate had great fundamentals, a lady couldn’t believe he was only 5 years old and another person asked for his autograph. That request has already gone to his head. After that, he kept wanting to write his name in the sand and on the baseballs he had with him.

I’m just happy he made many beach memories – even if all the main ones always come back to baseball.

Watching Nate

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Posing at his name in the sand

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Signing his autograph

Bed Check

31 Aug

At what age are parents supposed to stop checking on their kids in the middle of the night? I know there’s an expiration date on this parent habit but I’m not sure when it is. Whenever it is, I hope it’s not too soon.

I cherish the cracked door peek to make sure toes are tucked in under blankets and that a child isn’t lying sideways across the bed and completely uncovered (like I just rescued Nate from). I love smoothing Nia’s hair from her face and kissing each of the forehead. I look at their peaceful and comfortable faces and pause to reflect on how grateful I am for them. Children at rest. Beautiful.

As I shut the door, I think about when I should stop the nightly check. When Nia is 10? 12? I’m thinking 14…

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Insert Baseball Player Here

27 Aug

It’s his go-to when drawing a picture. The baseball player. An Atlanta Braves baseball player, that is. He appears each time Nate has a crayon or marker and a blank sheet of paper. He even makes sure to find a way to work the player into his school assignments.

This past week’s lesson was about the five senses. You can see how he depicted them here:

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He’s also been adding some hearts in his work. Our little lover adds them to all his cards he gives to people – even if he hasn’t met the person/child yet.

I love his sweet and passionate heart with all my senses.

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The Repeat Knockers

25 Aug

Just get in the door after a long day? They knock.

Start cooking dinner? They knock.

Have a mouth full of food? Must almost choke as everyone feels the need to run from the table like it’s going to explode and surround the door.

Ready to start homework with the kids? Dog starts barking like someone’s breaking in because the doorbell rang.

Getting ready to enjoy that first sip of wine? Knock, knock.

By the sound of it, I want it the small visitors to our door ( often two or three times a night) to hit an invisible force-field whenever they attempt to step onto the front stairs. I really don’t. I’m actually glad that the kids are being included and making new friends in the neighborhood. They should. I have many fond memories of acting like we owned our ‘hood growing up. It’s just…I need about 75% less of the repeat knocking. I also feel bad when I send the hopeful children away because some dinner/homework/just-got-home time is in progress (I never mention my wine that’s being held behind the door where they can’t see).

I tell them to return at 7 and then the kids can play until 7:30. It seems though – small oversight on my part – they do not know how to tell time. Short of hanging a sign:

“Nia and Nate are not ready to play outside yet so please don’t knock and give our dog five heart attacks a night. And no, you can not take our cups – or Nia’s scooter – home with you. Also, there is a two limit ration on bandages unless it’s a true emergency. And, there is now a lock on the garage refrigerator. Sorry to diminish your hopes of an endless supply of soda.”

I think I’m just going to tell them to wait until they see Nia and Nate outside. Not outside? Not ready to play. Knock? They will NEVER be ready to play. NEVER.

Kidding. That’s for the back side of the sign.

The Repeat Knockers Having a Blast

Today, I learned …

22 Aug

It’s something we are trying with the kids. Tired of getting “I don’t remember” from Nate, Andrew and I now ask the kids to tell us three things they learned at school each day. If they can/do, they get 30 minutes of extra time enjoying whatever entertainment they want from the Wii to TV (after homework, of course). The lists below pretty much capture what each nightly review is like.

I asked Nate the three things he learned at school today:

  1. M is for Mater, McQueen and Mac. Oh yeah, and monkey.
  2. The precise way to hold a “parachute” for gym class, complete with showing me the way his fingers should look while holding this parachute. Also, that his gym teacher pretended to fall over when hit with a ball.
  3. To put your head down on the table when it’s time to be quiet.

I asked Nia:

  1.  Math taught them about different forms like standard, expanded and word.
  2. Science talked about sedimentary rocks, igneous rocks and volcanic rocks. (And she went on to explain a little about each one.)
  3. Reading was about a little boy who met an author and – according to Nia – it taught her to save a question about books just in case she ever meets the book’s author.

I learned:

  1. Nate doesn’t like to remember what he learned. I know this because of the frustration he gave me when I asked him if learned about a certain letter, word, number or color.
  2. Nia’s homework is getting really hard. Like, map/distance hard. Whoa.
  3. My brain hurt after my 45 minutes of homework and shared learnings – I can’t even imagine what it’s like for them. Did I tell you that the word ordinal was one of Nia’s spelling/vocabulary words. Glad she knew what it meant because I sure didn’t.

Then My Heart Sank Into My Stomach

18 Aug

“Can Nia come out and play?”

The group of three kids waited at our front door for the response. “Of course! Just a minute, she needs to get her shoes.”

Closed door. Scramble to get shoes. Flurry of excitement as Nia and Nate rush to the door to play outside by themselves with neighborhood kids for the first time ever.

I was excited. Was. As Nate’s yellow shirt got smaller and smaller walking toward the top of our street, I panicked.

“He’s just too little,” I cried to Andrew. “He’s too little to leave our street by himself with only other kids.”

“I think I agree,” Andrew soothed me. “Do you want me to go get him?”

I collapse in a teary mess on the steps, still in my work clothes. Still emotionally drained from the drive home. I nod. Still uncertain because I know he just wants to play with his sister and the kids. He just wants to be a big kid. But I just can’t let him yet. He’s too little.

My heart was in my stomach until I saw Andrew rounding the corner with Nate walking beside him.

Lighter heart. Nate didn’t seem to mind. After all, Andrew told him the kids could play in the backyard and he’d play baseball with him. Bribery to keep him closer to home. I’ll use it for as long as I can…

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Peeping Mom

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Tiny Yellow Shirt

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The Light Under the Door

15 Aug

“How did you know?” He asked me as I ushered him back in bed – a place where he should’ve been sound asleep some 30 minutes ago.

“I wasn’t making any noise. I was so quiet.” He adds, still confused about how I caught him with a baseball hat on his head, frozen mid-bend at his shelf – instead of sleeping. He was, “cleaning his room.” A room that was not a mess by any means.

I smile while tucking him in again, “Mommy will keep that a secret.”

I can’t let him know that it was because of the light glowing from under his door. How will I bust him next time?

His room was pretty clean though. He even had all his baseball hats sorted according to team. He made sure the one I removed from his head was placed in the appropriate stack.

Night-night, Delay Nate. Sweet dreams of a cleaner room and tidy baseball shelf.

The Tidy Shelf (My Cleaning)

He just felt like running…

13 Aug

Waving at the kids.

In the dark at 4 a.m.

That’s what time Andrew usually wakes up and leaves for his run – complete with a light he wears on his head (upgraded from the small flashlight he was carrying). He does it because it’s the best time for him. Cooler. Not as busy on the road. Great start to his day. But 4 a.m.

These before-the-crack-of-dawn runs are really paying off for him though. He feels healthier, lost weight, gained muscle and entered and succeeded in his first 5 and 10K’s. Now, his goal is to run in a 5K race each month. He says it’s motivation to help him keep running, since he pays money for the races. He signed up for a half-marathon in October and that’s what he’s working toward now (along with another 5k in a few weeks). I know he can’t wait to run on the beach during our upcoming vacation. He’s getting really tired (and somewhat creeped out) about running by the eerily lit cemetery on his typical morning route. That could help him run faster though…

So proud of you, Andrew. The kids and I love to cheer for you and now Nate wants to run in the one-mile kid races associated with your 5K’s. Such a positive example. I’m hoping it has that same effect on me – soon.

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School Art, His Art

12 Aug

It seems Nate is loving his art time in Kindergarten so much that he doesn’t just stop at the school-assigned picture. Drawn on the backs of his beautifully colored raccoon and dragons are adorable baseball players. I told him to just always make sure he does what the teacher wants first, then if he has time, he can draw as many Nate originals as he wants.

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Nate's Beautiful Coloring

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All-Star Artist

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Dragon Picture 1

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Half-a-Player

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Colorful Dragons

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Player on the Field

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A Closer Look at Bean

12 Aug

I think I know Nia pretty well. I have her favorite music, tv shows, foods, colors and movies down. I know she loves to play school and uses her stuffed animals as students, takes forever in the restroom, must hug mommy and daddy twice before night-night and then plays with her Barbies in her bed before finally falling asleep. She has such a caring and sweet heart and is so smart. I do know her well but I was able to learn even more special things about her all thanks to a simple homework assignment called, “ABC’s of Me!” I copied the answers she wrote to the prompted sentences below. My favorites are A through Z.

A – An adventure I would like to have would be to meet some famous celebrities.

B – One of my favorite books is I don’t know because I like a lot of books. I read all of the Diary of a Wimpy Kids books.

C – The craziest thing I have ever done is run and throw a little ball at my brother.

D – The most difficult thing I have ever done is to swim from three feet to six feet.

Swimming from 3 feet to 6

E – The easiest subject in school is reading because I usually get good grades on reading tests.

F – One quality I look for in a friend is kindliness because I only should be with a nice friend.

G – I think greasy hair is really gross because I don’t like the way it feels.

H – My hope for this year is nobody makes fun of me.

I – A topic that interests me is animals because most animals are friendly.

J – Something that brings me joy is seeing people I haven’t seen in a long time because I’m happy to see them again.

K – If I were king of the world I would donate money to others that needed it.

L – I love to eat my dad’s grilled pizza because I like to eat Italian food.

M – If I had a million dollars I would share it with my family.

If I had a $1,000,000

N – I will never talk to a stranger because I don’t know them.

O – When I play outside, I like to enjoy the weather because I think it’s fun.

P – I am proud of myself for not getting in trouble because I shouldn’t get in trouble on the first week.

Q – A question I have wondered about is to ask my dad what his favorite subject was in school.

R – I respect people who respect me because the golden rule is treat others the way you want to be treated.

S – A sport I enjoy is bowling because I like wearing the shoes to play.

T – I would like to travel to the beach because I like playing in the ocean and finding sea shells.

U – Something unique about me is I was born on my due date.

V – My favorite vacation spot is West Virginia because I get to see my family.

W – I wish nobody would be very mean.

X – I get really eXcited when I know someone’s coming to visit.

Y – I always say “Yes!” when someone asks me to do my work because I have to.

Z – If I were a zoo animal, I would be a zebra because I like their patterns.

Alphabet Bean, I love the way you think.

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