Ryan has been waking up early, too early, and staying up late, too late,… and today it caught up with him. He was cranky and tired all morning and into the afternoon. When I had had enough, I suggested he actually nap during quiet time today. He didn’t argue – a clear sign that he…
This afternoon, between a morning at the pool and a promised evening family video time, the boys and I dashed off to our neighborhood grocery store to pick up a few staples for the week and some treats to pack for an all-day adventure tomorrow. Inside the store, where every other child, including Connor, was…
Today Ryan is nine years old! My serious, shy, bright, silly little one is growing up! Nine seems to me an odd mix of grown-up and little boy. Over the past year, I’ve watched with pride as Ryan demonstrated greater ease in group situations, as he gained the confidence to set out on adventures on…
Ryan ran into the bedroom this morning to inform us the radio had just announced that “All Fairfax County Public Schools and Cornerstone Schoolhouse are closed due to the snow!” Patrick informed Ryan that since Cornerstone Schoolhouse is located in our basement and requires only a short walk downstairs, where there is indeed no snow,…
This year, Connor asked Santa to bring 200 Webkinz, please! Santa told Connor he’d have to see if he could find a big enough box. Ryan requested Legos, cars, and Webkinz – he said he’d let Santa decide how many. And now two very wound-up, excited little boys are tucked in their beds, visions of…
Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is a Thanksgiving morning tradition in our home. This year’s parade provided more than colorful floats, melodic bands, and giant balloons, it provided comic relief: During a commercial break, Patrick and the kids were telling me about the Smurf float in the parade. Now as a child of the 80s,…
Don’t talk anybody, don’t come near!Can’t you see the fish might hear?He thinks I’m playing with a piece of string;He thinks I’m another sort of funny thing,But he doesn’t know I’m fishing-He doesn’t know I’m fishing.That’s what I’m doing –Fishing. A.A. MilneNow We Are Six The kids weren’t quiet, they couldn’t keep from jumping into…
Webkinz? A few of the birthday pets: Fifi, Lovey, Cupcake, Chrissy, Furry, Patrick Frog & Leap.Not pictured: Tai Shan, Raisin, Otisand Connor, who just couldn’t stay awake, not even for ice cream cake! Ryan, Connor, and their cousin Sarah love their Webkinz! Webkinz are good friends: they play board games with Ryan when everyone else…
This morning I made an off-handed comment to Patrick that the skirt and top I had chosen to wear to church looked better on me last year. Ryan was standing nearby and chimed in with his usual, “Why?” Not wanting to get into a discussion of body image with my 7-year-old son, I replied, “They…
Several months ago, we were introduced to the book Flat Stanley through a local homeschool co-op. In the book, Stanley goes to bed one evening a normal boy and wakes up in the morning only 1/2″ thick, flattened as the result of an accident with a bulletin board hung over his bed. Stanley decides to…