A note from Lex
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Tag Archives: Lex
“The best day of this year,” said Lex.
Today the kids celebrated 100 days of school. Each class counts the days as they go by, as part of their lessons on dates, counting, math, etc. It has been interesting to see when I’m in the classrooms. Today was day 100! Everyone was celebrating. Lex’s class celebrated with a pyjama party. They wore pjs all day, including the teachers. They brought blankets, pillows, and lovies. In the afternoon they got to cuddle on the floor and read books. They made necklaces with 100 Fruit Loops and ate Oreo cookies and milk. Sounds like a great day!
Eve was sad that she didn’t get to have a pj day too. She came home with a special 100 day crown (or headband, as she insisted it was called) and a cereal necklace as well. She complained that they didn’t get any special snacks at all, but later in the evening she said they had hot chocolate and marshmallows. I think she probably had a perfectly fun day too.
After school Lex had his final swim lesson with his classmates. The instructors let them go down the big yellow slide, and HE DID! Four times!!! He loved it! I was shocked that he was tall enough. And brave enough. When did he grow up?!
Eve decided that instead of swimming she wanted to play at the KidZone at the aquatic center, so I dropped her there and I ran two miles on the treadmill! I haven’t been able to do that in awhile!
When I picked him up they were eating their normal after swim snack, with the special treat of mint Oreos! That’s twice in one day that Lex had Oreos! We picked Eve up from the KidZone and on the way out Lex says, quietly, “Did you remember that I like milk now?” I can’t remember the exact quote, but it was along those lines and it cracked me up! He hasn’t drank milk in probably a year. He just quit one day for no apparent reason. Apparently today was the day to drink milk again. He said he had milk with his cookies at school. Maybe I should have fed him Oreos sooner! Crazy boy!
In bed tonight he told me that today was “the best day of this year!”
DBS Adventures
Lex has started a weekly comic strip, to be published on Mondays. Its about two students who arrive at school, but upon entering the building find themselves standing on a platform in outer space. He needs a little work on his illustration technique, but otherwise I think he’s onto a good thing here! :)
A current of love
Lex’s Valentine to Alan. :) They have been doing science experiments with electricity lately.
House bowling
This is a game Lex has been thinking about for awhile but hasn’t had the chance to get to. He’s talked about it all week. I was thinking of taking them out after school this afternoon, but he had a bit of a meltdown this morning because he REALLY wanted to set up a home bowling game, so I decided to head home after school and let him bowl!
He has “pins,” ball, a start line, bumpers, and even a ball return (orange race track along the hearth). We played to 100 points. He kicked my butt! :) After a few tries on his knees he decided to stand. He did much better standing.
Good times on a Friday afternoon!
Off the board!
I grabbed a few photos right at the end of his lesson today. I also chatted with his teacher (and forgot her name moments after I asked, I need to work on that bad habit!) and she said that he is growing so strong and confident, compared to when she had him for lessons last summer. She was impressed with the changes from then to now.
Ready, set…
cannon ball!
I love this kid!
Into the BIG pool!
Did I mention that Lex is taking lessons now as part of a free deal for 2nd graders? They bus the kids over after school. They play for an hour, then have a lesson, then have a snack. Not the order I would have done things, but I’m not in charge. Anyway… Eve and I have been going over after school as well and swimming. The first day of lessons I noticed that two of his classmates, boys that he really wants to play hockey with, were having their lesson in the competition pool. I watched for a few minutes and saw that Lex can swim just as well as they can! During the following week I put on some mommy persuasion and encouraged him to try the big pool with his classmates. I reminded him that he can’t play hockey with them because he can’t skate well enough yet, but he certainly can swim as well as either of them! I guess he was feeling brave at his second lesson because he did it! He got right in and swam in the big pool. The staff there is pretty amazing and I had talked to them about it ahead of time. They had tried to take him in that pool a year ago when he was doing lessons last time, but he wasn’t up for it. They are kind and encouraging with him.
He has since done two lessons in the competition pool and seems pretty confident! Another mother told me last week that he was jumping off the start boards! I wasn’t there as Eve and I took the week off to stay home with a recovering Alan. When I asked Lex about it he was all nonchalant, like of course he was jumping off the board, why wouldn’t he?! :) He told me they were comparing splash heights of their cannon ball jumps!
Today we went swimming and I was eager to get pictures of him in the deep pool and jumping off the board. Sadly the lifeguard said you’re not allowed to use the start boards during free swim, so he couldn’t show off that skill, but we did have a great time in the big pool! Lots of jumping in, not a lot of lap swimming. Eventually the lifeguard kicked us out, claiming the lanes were filling up. I think he thought we were bothering the actual lap swimmers. Oh well! We moved back to the kid section and met up with some friends and had fun there too!
I’ll try and get some pictures of him jumping off the board during his lesson this week, but for now… into the big pool!
Easy peasy, right into the pool. It wasn’t even super cold today!
I talked them into doing laps. We made it to the other end and they were done with laps.
Eve
Lex, doing the crawl stroke.
We spent the rest of the time jumping into the pool. It would have been a fun day to have an underwater camera! :)
Ready… set…
Go!
We got home and they were drawn to the tv, like moths to the light. I let them watch Colbert with Alan while I made lunch for everyone. I took this picture just because it’s so cute how they’re sitting together.
Real quick…
I’ve been working full-time lately! I just finished my 4th day as the art teacher at school. It’s fun, but this working full-time thing is for the birds! Here is a quicky of what we’ve been up to:
- Lex started swimming in the big pool today! Two of his classmates have their lessons in that pool and today he joined them. I’m super excited that he got over his fear of the big pool because he is a great swimmer and the big pool is necessary for continued development. Today he took the plunge and loved it!
- Eve has started reading to me! I’m so excited! She read all of Runaway Bunny last night, and Hop on Pop, and Freddie and Flossie books. She caught on recently that if she reads to me she gets to stay up a lot later. :) I’ll take it!
- Alan is prepping for his hernia surgery next week. Logistics are difficult, but it will happen and we’ll all be happy when it’s over. I’m secretly looking forward to a few forced days at home to take care of him.
- I have decided to apply to the Upper Valley Educators Institute and get my teaching certificate!! I’m really enjoying substituting (some classes more than others, of course!) and the more I think about it the more teaching feels right to me. If all goes well I’ll start in August.
That’s it for now. I’m not working tomorrow, but I am spending the morning with my volunteer family and trying to figure out which of the six things that need be done can I fit into the afternoon before picking up the kids. Working again Friday for a few hours. Life is busy, but good!
Dear Santa
Lex’s class wrote letters to Santa. I hope he reads the newspaper. :)
Scrabble
Today’s craft project. Take one game of Scrabble (from freecycle!) and one sheet of magnet paper. Cut paper into small squares. Enlist two children to peel off the backing and stick magnets to Scrabble tiles. Put on fridge. Spell away!
Scrabble on the fridge. Fun for all!
Want to hear something sad? The kids have no memory of those letter magnets we used to have. Want to hear something happy? Watch the videos below! They are hysterical!
I found them here while I was searching the blog for a picture of the letter magnets to show the kids. I’ll show them the videos in the morning. I’m sure it will refresh their memories. Lex is about two and a half in these videos.