Thursday, September 13, 2012

Busy Bodies

ROSIE -
 
Our Rosie Posie is crawling all over the place now.  For a while she'd get into the crawling position and rock back and forth then she'd get onto her tip-toes and stick her bum in the air because she couldn't quite get the forward motion figured out but wanted to move so badly.  It was such a cute pose. 
 
Ty kept working with Rosie (I didn't really want to - I knew what more mobility would bring - more clean up and work for me :) and if he'd get behind her for her to push off of with her feet she could crawl forward.  The day she turned 8 months old, she started doing it for herself, even without Ty's support, slowly but surely.  And in a matter of days, while we were visiting my family in Lava, she completely figured it out. 
 
 
 
We tell the kids that the days when Rosie left your things alone are gone.  She's now into the books, the kids' toys, everything.  She seems much happier now that she can get to where she wants and now that she can follow me around like a little puppy. She just looks so darling - so tiny to be crawling.  We are seeing so much of her personality shine through now too.  What a super fun stage! 


 
ME & MY MOM -
 
I mentioned above that we went to visit my family - over Labor Day weekend - to celebrate my step-dad's retirement.  He is counting down the days until that blessed day arrives.  We had a great time visiting with my siblings and their families again.  And so many of my mom's siblings and their families came too that it seemed like one of our old Wheatley Family Reunions.  It was sooo good to see so many that I hadn't in quite a while and all just so much fun!  Of course my mom put a lot of work into it, along with my Aunt and Uncle Christensen, to make it a special occasion for Tab and we all had a great time!
 
While we were visiting, Grandpa took Ty and Cash fishing and Cash was so excited to show us "the biggest fish I ever caught!" Funny thing is though that Ty is the one that reeled it in - Cash simply picked it up off the shore.  Oh well - still exciting! :)
 
(family group pix to come)
 
We came back home from visit on Monday and later that week my mom came up to see us.  My sister and I had gotten her some Time Out For Women tickets for Mother's Day.  Have you ever been?  If not, I highly recommend going!  They are so very fun and wonderfully inspiring.  So this past weekend, me and my mom went to TOFW in Boise and had a fantastic and relaxing time there.  The next day she was able to attend chuch with us and see the kids participate in our Primary Program.  They did a great job and always try to sing their little hearts out!  Then the next few days were filled with canning.  My mom, being the angel she is, offered to help with the kids, etc. in order to get my canning done.  We did 5 boxes of peaches, 2 boxes of apples for applesauce, and salsa. 
 
 
We got a lot accomplished in two days - I would have been busy with all that for over a week with all the interruptions that occur in my normal day. I appreciated her help so very much. It was just so nice to basically have 5 days with my mom - almost all to myself - to visit and work together!  I keep telling her though, "You don't have to work when you come up to see us!"  She always responds, "I'd rather be busy."  And that's the truth - my mom has ALWAYS been a busy body.  Maybe that's where I get it from - and my kids too! :)


KINDERGARTEN & PRE-SCHOOL

KINDERGARTEN
 
Cash started Kindergarten on August 22nd at the Payette Primary School.  He had an open house the day before where he got to tour the school, check out his classroom and meet his teacher, Mrs. Warzyn.  There are four Kindergarten teachers and I've heard great things about Mrs. Warzyn so we're thrilled he got her.  Cash goes to school every day for half a day.  We leave our house the same time Ty leaves for work in the morning to drop off Cash at 8:15.  Then we go pick him up at 11:15.
 
 

We had to practice our new morning routine for a week or so before school started because we're used to sleeping in a bit longer and taking our time to get ready. But the kids have adjusted well. We've figured out some tricks to helping the morning run smoothly.  For example, when we tried to eat breakfast just after waking Cash up, he'd barely touch his food because he was still half asleep I think. Now we have to get Cash in the shower first thing - to help wake him up and afterwards he'll scarf down a good breakfast.
 

The first couple of days of school were a bit of an adjustment for Cash.  He did very well, but he got his feelings easily hurt, etc.  I think it all boiled down to the fact that he was probably a bit scared with the new experience of going to school and those feelings led to others.  For example, on the first day of school, he was so sad that he didn't get a "special cool bracelet" like some of the other kids in his class - that it turned out only helped the teacher identify which kids stayed for afternoon classes too and which ones went home.  Anyway, after just a couple days, I think Cash became familiar with the routine of school and is loving it and doing really well.
 
PRE-SCHOOL
 
Vanna started Pre-School a couple weeks after Cash started which broke us in to things easily. She was so impatient to start though - she wants to be grown up like Cash and go to school. She has completed her first week of Pre-School now and LOVES it! She goes to Wiggles & Giggles Pre-School  on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 - 11:30. It is so convenient that I can just drop her off the same time as I do Cash and pick her up when I pick up Cash too.  Her school is just around the corner from the Primary School and both are only a couple minutes from our home which is so nice - I love not having to run all over at different times of the day, etc.
 

This is a big built in clubhouse within the Pre-School.  Wiggles & Giggles has lots of space and lots of fun toys that Vanna is loving - especially the dolls and doll house!


Vanna's favorite color is purple (which is one of mine too) and so this is the outfit she picked out for her first day.  Love that cheesy grin!

 
So if you've figured it out - I get three hours, three days a week to be with just Rosie and it is wonderful!  Does that sound terrible?  When the kids went off to school, it truly was bitter sweet.  It's crazy to believe, and kind of sad to think that time has flown by so fast - that we're already to this stage in our lives with them.  But at the same time, I was very excited for them to be growing and learning and for me to get a little one-on-one time with Rosie.  And maybe even have time to get some things done while she takes her morning nap (like typing up my recipes - that project has taken me like a year and I'm still not done - ahhh!).
 
So we had an exciting couple weeks.  Now that we're adjusted to our new routines and schedules, I hope we can kind of lay back and enjoy the school year!