Friday, May 24, 2013

I can do it myself.

The other night, Little M refused help in turning his PJ top right side out. He has been doing it for 5 minutes or so before I grabbed my camera. Talk about that a stubborn monkey.


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Soccer tournament

Big M played 5 games in Sunday's tournament. It was supposed to upper 80's and sunny. Instead it as in the 50s and rainy. He and Daddy were quite cold but Daddy said Big M played solidly.

There was a kid that was plowing through the others until he met up with Big M. Big M is quite immovable. He has built quite a reputation for being a sort of a line-backer among the other parents.

He has been asking to play football but with a year-long soccer it's quite hard to fit in another sport. Though we did sign him up for a 2-week long football summer camp.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Mother's day weekend

It's not Mother's Day yet but it has started for me. The girls had their soccer, and then Daddy took all the kids and got flowers for me! Tons and tons of flowers, each their own favorite colors. It was a very lovely surprise. Then Daddy got take out Chinese food, my favorite!

He then tended to the kids for the rest of the day and let me sew in peace as I requested. I thought the day has been the best Mother's Day so far until everyone started cleaning up the house. WOW! Big M was especially eager to help when Daddy told him that the are doing this so that I didn't have to do anything. I'm speechless, simply speechless. The best day ever!


This is what I was eager to try today. I made a bathing suit for the first time. I am quite eager to try new things, and so I was itching to make it. It was challenging to sew, it was a mess, things were uneven, the stitching looks horrible BUT Miss K appreciated it. In fact, just seeing the little pink bow on the back was enough to make her squeal. She didn't care that it wasn't perfect. In fact, she loved it so much she didn't want to take it off. Now J wants me to make hers. Nothing beats making the kids something. I wanted to make a swimsuit because they are expensive, and we could never get the right fit and of course to buy cheap, is to buy cheap quality.  I've been buying too much fabric lately, and not making any money. Considering that this is the first summer that I am making most of the kids clothes, I think I am saving us money in the long run. I think. I'm pretty sure. :)

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Day full of soccer

First thing in the morning in Saturday was the girls' 2nd soccer game. For once, Big M didn't have a game so he and Daddy was able to attend. Then it was off to team pictures, then off to another field for Daddy's concession stand duty.

The weather was so beautiful we decided to keep Daddy company at the concession stand. It was the most expensive volunteer duty ever! The kids ran around, watched different soccer games, said hi to many friends.







Wednesday, May 8, 2013

the birds and the bees and a conversation about love

Daddy and I knew that the birds and the bees talk must happen, though we never discussed when. A few weeks ago, a conversation occurred that told us we are actually pretty late. 

Big M: Daddy, if I have 2 tamed wolves (in a computer game called Minecraft) were to breed, would the baby be a tamed wolf also.

Daddy: What do you know about breeding?

Big M: Well you and Mommy  bred and made me!

Oh boy. Daddy and I discussed and I knew for a fact that most books started much younger than 8 years old, and yes, we're much too late. Thankfully, some friends recommended books and Daddy bought them straight away.

The books were broken down into ages, starting from age 4, then age 8 and older, and 10 and older. The one for age 4 alone showed a lot of pictures and information. The age 8 one, well... we know he has to know these things, but woooweeee!

We told Big M we got the books and we explained that we needed to read them together, and then discuss. He was fine with it. The next day, when we came down for breakfast, Big M was already down and said he is almost done with the book. WHAT?!  We're not quite prepared for that fact, but be that as it may, we are willing to answer questions. And there were questions. They didn't come all once though, they trickled down over 2-3 days.

Some amusing questions that I addressed myself, were:

"Do you have to take your underwear for that?"
"How many times do people have to have sex before they make a baby?
"Do you and Daddy have sex everyday?"

Daddy was not yet home when these questions came, so I answered them all in all seriousness. I have told Daddy that no matter what the questions were, we would address them. So I did. The conversation became hushed, as Big M new his sisters shouldn't know about these things yet. So we cuddled in the couch and I talked, and talked, and talked. In the back of my mind, I thought I'd better insert what the purpose is of sex so I managed to squeeze in diseases and religion to our discussion. I must say, it was a great conversation. 

I was able to emphasize that sex is something very special between 2 people who love each other. I was able to use our marriage as an example, and that the parents of friends that hew knew are "banana split".  Big M was very receptive, and his maturity was astounding. 

On a different day, he asked Daddy why some people we know have been married several times. Daddy was not quite as experienced toning down his thinking to suit an 8 year old, so he said "when you're older you would understand." With our boy, this is not a sufficient answer. If his questions are to be satisfied and not to be asked repeatedly, he needs satisfactory answers. So Daddy and I together addressed the idea of love. I told Big M that love is like planting a seed (he is quite a nature lover so I knew he would understand this). The seed needs work in order to grow and be healthy. He cannot put a seed down and leave it alone and expect it to be a nice healthy tree when he checks on it months later.  We told him that it must be watered, the soil must be tended to, the weeds pulled, and it needs constant attention in order to grow. Some people go into marriage not aware of such hard work and when the seed doesn't grow, and start to die, it becomes too late for it to thrive and some people give up. He understands this for now, and what he doesn't understand I'm sure he would ask us about months or  years later.

Daddy and I told him that though Mommy and Daddy have been married a very long time, we still need to work. We fight (and yes, the kids have seen us fight) and yell, but they also see us make up and hug. Big M said we do fight but it's not common. 

This is a lot of talk, but whatever he does or doesn't understand just yet, we know we're laying out a pretty good ground work. Big M knows that should he have any questions at all that we would do our best to answer them all. Now we need just need to do this exact same thing 3 more times.

an update on little miss J



I thought I've posted these pictures, but I apparently haven't. These were taken a month ago. Miss J's teacher took a long leave of absence a couple of months ago because of a family tragedy, and so Miss J didn't receive her report card. We already knew, though, that she's doing well with her reading. She isn't quite reading as fluidly as K, but she is sounding out her words. Miss K being a bit advance got me thinking of the difference in teaching style of their teachers. Miss K comes home with reading homework and must answer questions about the book, she also has math homework and comes home with interesting songs. Miss J has no homework, though she has monthly projects that is geared for her to spend time with us as a family. We never minded the difference, until now.

It also got me thinking that it may always be like this. One will the great teacher, and one that is not so great. I'm just hoping that maybe the same one doesn't always get the great one. It's a little sad, especially that I am not getting to spend as much time to spend to help her. I try to help her with her reading, but my time is inconsistent. I'm hoping that next school year, we will be more organized in our new home, and in the kids' new school.

Miss J and K also started soccer for the first time. They were very gung-ho about it and asked me repeatedly when it would start. After it started, they were both excited. Last week when we took Big M to his soccer practice (we had to meet Daddy there as he was late leaving work), I let the kids play their ball on the side. Miss J dribbled that ball with a focus that we have never seen her have before. Daddy and I were awe-struck. She couldn't do her dribbling in her own soccer practice because of all the kids around her but it's something she could develop. It was great to see.

We have been nonstop as far as after-school activities, but this last couple of months is going to be just purely insane.



first dentist visit for little m


After being to the dentist 4x 6 months months, and then once last week, it is finally Little M's turn yesterday.  It was his first visit and he was of course a pro. He knew where to go, what to do, and where to find the treasure chest when he was done. Excellent first visit!

Outdoor lover


Some mornings Little M wants us to take a walk around the apartment. Today he wanted to ride around in his plasma car. But every time he saw a bug, he stopped, flopped on the ground and exclaimed, "Awww, how cute!" He especially loves the ants. 

On this picture you can see a black dot in front of him that he just kept talking to. After I while I told him we needed to go. He responded, "No, Mommy. He would be all alone!"

In a lot of ways, he is becoming a lot like his big brother.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Blue & Gold dinner


Big M had his Blue & Gold scout dinner this weekend. Though most of his scout activities has fallen on Daddy's shoulders, I wanted the whole family to attend. It was a nice buffet at a country club restaurant. The kids got to dress up a tiny bit, and celebrate Big M's accomplishments over the year. It was great, great food, not too long, the scouts had fun.

It was fun to realize that between all 4 of my children, we know quite a lot of people. Actually, let me rephrase that, my CHILDREN (not me) know a lot of people. :) Daddy has made quite a lot of connections between Soccer and Scouts, and the girls have made connections at school and dance. The little one, for some reason, know more people than I do. I don't understand how that happened being that he's pretty much attached to my hip, but he has best friends everywhere.

I asked Daddy before we moved here to NY that we must stay in one place longer than our track record so far. Though I know that sometimes it is out of our hands, it would be great to lay down some roots. Lately, we have been realizing that we are doing that. Finally. It makes me happy, and it makes the kids happy.

Anyway, the kids are sporting mommy-creations to this event. The girls are wearing boleros that they were quite excited about. I think it was because it was "fancy" as they say (the fabric has glitter) and it looks like a rock star outfit. I also made their capri leggings (something I've been doing a lot - making pants - as I am finding out that all of their pants from last summer do not fit). Little M is sporting a reversible vest that he loves and matching pants. He got quite a few compliments at the dinner. The only thing who wasn't wearing something I created was Big M. Although, I did alter the length of those pants back in October. It has never been worn since this weekend and we quickly realized how much taller he has gotten since then. The pants was about 1-2 inches too short.