I can't believe its been three weeks since my last post. Sorry about that. Its been pretty rough here with Devin's work demanding a bit more time and then everyone got sick.
Cole started preschool three weeks ago. I'm not a big fan of preschool, especially when it is all day. I like having the kids home, and don't really feel like they learn all that much there. But we started him so when he does go to all day kindergarten in the fall he will be used to how a classroom works and it won't be too much of a shock.
The mornings have definitely been different with him gone. I am amazed at how much quieter they are, I didn't really think he was very loud. But I guess it has been good to get to spend different time with Sadie and Eddi. They are playing together a lot more and building their relationship, so that is a good thing. We miss Cole a lot, and story time at the library is VERY different without him there to comment and tell his stories.
I never know what Cole is going to tell me when I pick him up from school. He always tells me some adventurous and wild story that definitely cannot be true, but it is interesting to see how they change each week and are slightly related to the theme they are learning about.
Eddi is communicating a lot more. We decided we need to start teaching him sign language. He communicates in growls, coughs, and yells...and while I understand what each different sound means, no one else does. Today he half signed "all done". So I think this will be a very beneficial endeavor for us all.
As I mentioned we all got sick. We have been plagued by ear infections since we moved to Georgia. i'm not sure what it is. But each child has had them at least once a month or every other month. Poor Lucy had them back to back, thankfully the second round of antibiotics worked and we don't need tubes this time. We are praying they stay away for at least a month so she doesn't have to get them.
Along with the many ear infections we caught the stomach bug. We haven't had that for years and I feel very blessed that it is so infrequent in our home. It is one of the sicknesses that is hardest for me to handle. So thankfully this bout was mild and quick in its passing. Poor Sadie looked so white and green. When I told her that she was pretty upset. Later in the day when she started feeling a bit better she said, "mommy is my face turning pink again?" It was super cute.
After our sicknesses were over we need to have a little fun. We went to Rattlesnake Roundup and enjoyed a morning outside doing irregular fun activities. The kids got to hold an American Alligator. I appreciated the mouth being tied shut. They are incredibly hard on top, and as Cole described, "as soft as a pillow on their tummy."
Sadie and Eddi were weary at first but once the lady set it on their laps they were ecstatic!
They had quite a few snakes there in varying sizes and species. It was fun to see them so close.
It was a little scarier to see this one so close. The handlers had a 6 ft snake who was trained to pop balloons. The kids thought it was amazing and I had to hold Eddi back the whole time because he just wanted to get up there with the ladies! It was very educational of the kids to hear what sound the snake makes and to see how fast they really move. It was good for me too. I had no idea they were so fast.
There was a little petting zoo. They had tiny bunnies for sale and the kids chased them around and held them the whole time.
There were little lambs and baby goats and mommy goats and sheep as well. They were not as friendly, until we had food, and then they got kind of annoying.
The kids loved to feel their soft wool and hard horns.
Kindergaten registration was this week. Because Georgia has a different requirement on vaccines poor Cole had to get THREE shots. He wasn't excited to get the one, so when we found out there were three he was terrified. No amount of bribing or talking could get him to agree to it. So I had to hold him in my lap while he screamed. I really hate that part of it all. He just wanted to go home and cuddle afterwards so we picked up some ice cream and played at home .
Eddi finally stopped sticking his hands in the toilet. But now throws any paper (toilet or regular) that he find in there. One morning he came out dragging this long stream of tissue after him...the other two thought it so fun they joined in. I decided not to get upset and let them play.
Lucy's reading ability is impressive. I am amazed every week at how much she learns. The kids are enjoying her reading a lot more now too. Since she is more fluid and understand the punctuation a bit more. I thought this moment was really cute. In the morning before school, they all sat in the hallway and had a little story time.
Adding Cole's drop off and pickup to our car time has increased Eddi's dislike of the mobile straightjacket. He throws himself to the ground and starts crying whenever I say, "its time to go get so-and-so". Hopefully he gets over it soon. I have noticed that if we get to play outside for a while (a long while) before I put him back in the car its not so bad...sometimes that just isn't possible, but we do it as often as we can.
Here is a ton of videos for your viewing pleasure, in no particular order...
Eddi the laundry helper
Funniest thing ever...Sadie running around with her stroller. I was dying!
Her favorite christmas song.
Lucy learned how to blow up balloons!
Loved her littler insert after the gun part
waiting to pick up Lucy from school, we have singing time
Eddi throws everything in the trash now
silly boy
Learning how to play without Cole around
They can do this forever.
