Somersaults!

I'm not sure how Cassidy learned how to do this on her own. One day, all of a sudden, she could do somersaults! She tucks her head and everything. Alex is still working on it :- )

No "P" Words

Driving home from preschool today Alex said, "Mom, you can't bring anything that starts with the letter "P" there. They don't like "P" words." He was looking at the No Parking Signs!

Preschool starts again!

Boy, what a difference a year makes! At the beginning of preschool last year, I would ask, "Alex, what did you do today at preschool?" Usually he'd say, "I don't know." This year I asked him the same question after his first day and he told me about the pretend games that he and Amelia G. and Amelia S. played in the Big Room, that it was Carson's birthday and he brought cupcakes and Spiderman toys, and that at show 'n tell, Mrs. Wampler said his Chinese Yo-Yo was "cool." He is learning and growing up so fast. So here are some pictures of the kids last September and now.

Sept 08

Sept 08

Sept 09

Not even gonna try...

I had so much to catch up on with the blog that I was procrastinating......so, I'm just going to start posting again and pretend that I didn't miss out on major events like our awesome vacation to California to visit John's parents, various summer time fun events, and our wonderful visit to my parents' in Pittsburgh with the kids while John was in Fort Lewis. John is back and life is good. Here are some new pictures of the kids.

Cassidy pretending to be Mommy at her office. (like my new chair? it reclines.)

Alex being his usual happy self! (He's 4 now, another thing I missed!)

Things Kids Say During Thunderstorms

Tonight as I was putting Alex to bed, there was a thunderstorm a little ways away. Loud enough to hear, but not right on top of us. Alex was acting a little scared ... here's how the conversation went:

me: "That's just God making enough rain for all the trees and flowers, just like he made the mountains and the oceans."
Alex: "Aw, I missed it. I never get to see God do anything."
me "Well, God made the mountains and the oceans a long time ago."
Alex: "Well, I want Him to make them disappear, and make them again so I can watch."

Mother's Day Maypole Dance and Tea Party

The Friday before Mother's Day, Alex's preschool teachers had a special Maypole Dance and Tea Party for the moms and their preschoolers. It was so sweet. This Mother's Day was especially cool because it was the first time Alex really "got it." He could sign the card himself, bring me flowers, tell me "Happy Mommy's Day" and I could tell he really meant it. Not that the previous ones weren't meaningful, but there is something about those well wishes actually coming from your child. To my firstborn, Alex: you make me cry, you make me laugh, but most of all you make me proud!

Backwards and Inside Out

The other day I was trying to motivate Alex to get dressed for school - so I reminded him that he gets a sticker on his chart for putting his underwear on, socks and shoes on, etc. Sure they ended up backwards and inside out, but it's a step in the right direction.