My Cute Little Monkeys: I am alive!

I did it! I survived! Matthew was out of town for ten whole days and I am alive (and I have a smile on my face to boot!). Originally when planning this work trip it was supposed to be for two weeks and I put the kibosh on that. Sorry, yea... Well, okay, not no (I can't say no, it is for work!), you can go but we need to get a nanny because 2 weeks might break me. A week might break me! He was able to work things so that he was only gone ten days instead of the full two weeks and off her went.

Eden came over a couple nights to help, Jenna came over for a long time one night. I am so thankful for someone else to be there during the witching hour! I just need an extra set of hands at bedtime! The rest I can manage! We give them a little money for it too even though, they would totally do it for free! They are so sweet. It seems silly just to have help for an hour or two but it's so worth it! Makes even the mornings easier when everything is well organized and picked up the night before.

Grandma Kathy has been working the heck out of her yard over the last couple of weeks and she keeps finding garden snakes! She asked if I would like for her to set one aside for the boys and I am crazy because I said yes. So what do you know but they find one and she brings over a container and left it in the porch. Uhmmm... that will wait for daddy!

The poor snake didn't like it's little box too much because as soon as Matthew lifted the lid that baby popped right out over the edge. It had been laying up at the top, on the handle, right there! Gross! The boys LOVED it! Ian just put his hands on it while Matthew held it but Duncan was a bit more brave and carried it around. He put it in the grass and picked it up, poor snake. Finally the snake torture was over and they all walked it across the street to set it free in our "country views".

Whenever you do anything nice for Ian he says that you are his best friend. Unless Matthew is around, then only Matthew is his best friend. Whatever! His little mini-voice is so cute.

The other day I was getting a treat for myself and Ian totally busted me! He came up and asked "what's that? What's that?" And I said "nothing" and he kept watching and trying to get closer and said "I want to see that everything!" I guess he knew it wasn't NOTHING, so it must have been EVERYTHING!

Asher has been working on his alphabet and he is really good! That and numbers he has almost nailed! I am convinced it is the iPad since Ian was so early and cute with his letters too! Well, that and the other boys always running around naming all the letters and making the sounds has to help the little guys. All we talk about is what letters are, what they spell, what sound they make and what rhymes. He does not know W and J and a few others but I am surprised at which ones he does see to know just out of the blue. And the numbers really surprised me. Ian was wearing his soccer shirt and Asher pointed and said "three!" For a kid that doesn't say too much, it's funny! I even took him outside and had him read grandma's license plate.

Dylan has started the jello leg thing and it is so annoying! She seems to have gotten so heavy over the last couple of weeks and when you want to lift her to her feet so you can walk her she totally jellos out! Seriously? I have mustered enough strength to get you to your feet and I get no help? It is funny and it goes right along with her developmentally being between 18-24 months! Jello legs are no fun for parents at any age, silly girl.

All of the Kindergarten orientations have come and gone and we didn't know which one to go to! It is looking like Dylan will need to be in the Tier 3 classroom and the school district is moving that classroom around and we don't know what school it will be. Since I will keep Duncan and Dylan together... We are just waiting and waiting. No idea where they will end up!

Her needing the Tier 3 classroom and the best hands on care for the more globally delayed kiddos presents a little dilemma for us. Do we have her be in this more hands on care? Do we move Duncan with her? Do we keep her with Duncan where the neighborhood kids will go? Do we separate them? Oye! Of course pulling Duncan to go with Dylan will also determine where all the other boys go too!

Ultimately she needs the Tier 3 classroom. It would not be fair to her or the other kids in the class for her to be unsupervised in the class with the typical kids. Poor teachers! The idea makes me laugh. Those kids trying to pay attention with a big 18 month old running around chewing on things? Yea... No. So we wait. I was advised to call the principal for the school they are supposed to go to but I haven't done that yet, maybe I will today.

Duncan and Ian have been doing well in soccer, it seems like they get better each game. Better by being more aggressive anyway... If Duncan wants to kick the ball, like ever, he needs to get in the pack. He is learning. Though their desire to kick the ball is in question. My nephew Thatcher got baptized on Saturday so Ian missed his game but Duncan went to his and since Matthew is the coach, it's a good thing. Tracy had been subbing for him in his travels. I missed it, I was home with the nappers. Maybe this week's evening games!

Dylan and Duncan also had their end of the year art show and program last week. My mom was able to go and talk about bang for your buck, the kids loved to have her there even though it was super short! There was a bit of moving up and about so not very many good pictures but trust me, Duncan was SUPER cute, a great little singer and dancer! Big thanks again to my neighbor Dana (who totally doesn't read the blog) for her help watching the littles while we went. We got to watch without our hands being full.

A lot of these pics are phone pics! Not as good of quality but more readily available!

Super cute pic from last week's game. Yes, likely the ball was in play here too.