Easter

My sister had a great idea to fill the kid's Easter baskets with Disney items and then tell them we are going this Summer after a Disney themed scavenger hunt.  They already kind of know that we are going and they aren't really sure what exactly it is (although Tyler is still really excited about Animal Kingdom because he thinks he will finally get to see a Gorilla, a Hippo and a Rhino - I have no clue if those will actually be there), but I think Disney World is one of those rare things that actually can live up to a child's expectations and you can't hype it too much!  For the cost of the trip, I really hope they are as excited as excited can be!  Nevertheless, when she made the suggestion I thought it was cute and then it got me thinking that I didn't really know or remember how exactly the Easter bunny tradition is supposed to work.  I think we make eggs the night before and leave them in the basket and then the Easter Bunny hides them - but then does he fill up the basket with other goodies (or replace it with a pre-made basket) or is that stuff hidden with the eggs?  I am so confused - but I guess I have a week to figure it out.  I also have a little more than a week to get Easter outfits.  The weather has been so unpredictable that the typical Easter dress might not be appropriate this year for Katie, and we have never really been big on getting really dressed up for the holiday, but it is a good excuse to start looking at more spring-like attire.  Of course, that means me scouring the Old Navy sale and getting more caught up in the so cute Strawberry shortcake shirt and Superman pajamas rather than Easter apparel - but either way I am ready for warm weather - aka a reason to wear shorts and sundresses!

A busy weekend is ahead, although it is supposed to be rainy and cold.  We have two birthday parties, I have a tennis match if the weather holds off, and there are a couple of Egg Hunts that we would like to make it too if it isn't raining too bad!  We are going to a special exhibit at Warner Parks nature center if it is raining - all about amphibians!  The kids have an egg hunt at school next week and then we all have Friday off.  The local schools had this week and next week for Spring Break - I am very jealous so I am looking forward to at least a long weekend!  The extended Spring Break for metro schools has also meant that we haven't registered the kids yet for Kindergarten.  I think that is still the plan, but nobody will be in the office until April.  I don't really know why we have to register now, but the deadline was supposed to be that first week in March (except for those who had to be tested) so I think we should do it as soon as possible just in case! I do think we can still change our minds, but I think at this point something pretty convincing would have to come up for us to decide to not go ahead and send them to Kindergarten.  The only thing that keeps making us second guess is that people keep saying that younger ones just need that extra year to catch up socially - but we have talked to those who see them interact with other children and the teacher's who have them in their classrooms and they say that they don't see any reason that they would be behind the other students in that area at all.  I think a lot of children their age have not had years of full-time childcare by this point and social interaction, nor do most of them have a twin to play with and share with and learn from so I am just not as worried about that area.  If it becomes an issue I do still think the school can suggest holding them back a year for immaturity and if it comes to that we will definitely be on board!

Appointments and Lessons

We are just getting a taste of what it will be like soon with two children with busier schedules than us.  Yesterday, the kids had a dentist appointment and Lance took them and said they did great.  They always think it is so fun to have Ray-Ray checking out their teeth and of course, they love getting prizes after their check-up!  I am so glad that they really seem to enjoy dental appointments right now and are gung-ho to keep their teeth healthy!  Lance scheduled their next appointment and I realized that we will have to change it so the kids won't miss school - eek!  I was also looking at beach rentals (heard about a new place in PCB that seems fun) and when I put in dates to get rates I automatically put in when we usually go in mid-August only to realize that school starts August 1st and we won't be able to go then!

Last week  I took the kids to a free trial of a gymnastics class - which they LOVED!  I have a board meeting tonight and Lance isn't too keen on gymnastics anyway so they aren't going back this evening and I haven't signed them up for the month yet so probably won't be participating at least in March.  Katie was dancing for us last night and told me that she was going to practice "her positions" when she goes back to ballet class - I didn't actually tell her that there are no plans to go back.  That made me start thinking that soon we won't have as much flexibility - with soccer, t-ball, etc. there will be schedules and practices that we are expected to attend.  Then, after that, they may even decide to do different things and that is when I am sure it will really be a logistical nightmare!  I am sure there are a lot more realizations to come in these few months before real school starts and I am forced to notice that my little babies are growing up!

We are going to do another round of swim lessons soon.  I heard about this fantastic program - the ISR self-rescue program - that is more water-safety focused than learning to swim focused and if the kids were younger the expense (hefty) may be worth it, but at this point I think they are better off learning to swim.  That said, I highly recommend it to anyone with a young child and a pool - it is truly amazing to watch the videos of these little ones who fall in pools fully dressed and know to breathe under water, then roll on their backs and float and scream to get help!

I have been procrastinating getting the next season's clothes for the kids - it is just really hard for me to buy Spring/Summer stuff when it is so cold out for some reason - and now I am glad I didn't do it sooner!  I probably would have purchased on the smaller end for Katie since she just doesn't seem to be anywhere near 4T bottoms fitting - BUT, that girl is either going through a growth spurt right now or has a tapeworm (I really, really hope not).  She is always hungry - and usually makes healthy choices like oranges or apples or yogurt - but doesn't seem real satisfied for long.  It has just been the last few days and Tyler had about an inch on her prior to this so I am betting she is doing a little catching up.  If that's the case 4T should be fine, especially since she has a bit of bubble butt :) - Tyler struggles with pants because he is so lean that he still needs the adjustable waist that they stop doing when the sizes get bigger, but they make more slip-on shorts than pants, which works better!  Speaking of procrastinating - I am doing a real good job of that right now typing this instead of what needs to be done so I guess I will get back to it!

Happy Kids!

Last night Lance and I got to go to the Vandy game at the SEC Tournament and we won!  Even better, the kids were so excited to find out that their favorite former teacher came over to watch them.  They were so happy to see her and Lance and I were thrilled that they got to spend time with her and to find a new sitter option!  She really is great and the kids were giddy showing her their toys, and room, and all the letters they have learned since she has been gone.  We also got a chance to talk to her about Kindergarten for the kids (she had been their teacher up until about a month ago) and her honest opinion.  After the discussion with her, and many talks between the two of us - Lance and I both agree that we are 90-95% sure that they kids will be in Kindergarten next year - yikes!  School starts August 1st!!!

Approved!

The kids had their testing done today at their future elementary school and they have both been approved to enroll in Kindergarten for the Fall.  When I asked each of them what the testing involved it seemed very basic (shapes, recognizing their name, stacking blocks, counting blocks, etc.) so I would have been surprised if they had come back and said they didn't do well.  I think Tyler was disappointed that he didn't get to draw a person - he has been working diligently to master his people drawing skills and his favorite thing right now is to draw a giant on the dry erase board complete with giant ears, crazy hair, and 5 unusually long fingers on each hand :)!  Katie surprised me by volunteering to go first in testing and she woke up this morning very excited to go to visit "Harpee Valley," as she calls it.  Tyler was a bit clingy, but his competitive instincts kicked in and he was anxious to see what Katie had been up to!

Lance is now 50/50 and whereas I was probably more 80/20 for them just to go ahead and get into Kindergarten- I am now kind of in the same boat.  It is just a difficult decision because there really are as many pros as there are cons.  I still think it can't be good for them to have essentially two years of Kindergarten instruction (PK class at their school uses Kindergarten curriculum and then a year of true Kindergarten).  I do, see, however that the other considerations of them being quite small, and the youngest (in some cases by a lot since so many families do "redshirt" their children) are important factors.  We definitely have some thinking to do - and I have a call in to the school to see if there is a deadline!

I had a great birthday celebration yesterday and this weekend!  Ray-Ray and So-So kept the kids for us Saturday night and we went to dinner downtown, which was great.  Last night all of us went to the Japanese Steakhouse near our house and it was yummy and the kids had a great time.  I was so impressed with Katie - she ate her soup, salad, fried rice and shrimp!  She isn't usually a picky eater, but salad and soup aren't usually on the menu, either - but she thought it was great and felt like such a big girl!  They helped make me a cake on Sunday and gave me the cutest homemade cards when I picked them up from school!  All in all, spending time with Lance and then our family was a great way to celebrate!

Harlem Shake

The kids have had a fun week at school.  The zoo came out to visit on Wednesday and the kids excitedly told me that they got to pet a (nice) snake, and that the rabbit peed on the floor and the macaw did worse than that :).  They have been studying animals and it was a special surprise treat at the end of the unit.  Tyler was upset that they didn't bring a dolphin in a huge tank, or a tiger, or a sea urchin but I think they enjoyed it and he was giving me all the details about the "zookeeper."  One of the many things he has mentioned wanting to do when grows up is to be an "animal doctor at the zoo," but often he specifies that he wants to only work with dolphins and sharks.  I'm thinking marine biologist  :).  Right now we are planning to go to Sea World when (fingers crossed) we are in Orlando, and I am betting that will be a highlight for Tyler.  I have been trying to figure out what we can squeeze in while we are there (only going to be able to stay a few days) and I have been concentrating on Disney time but I am sure that the kids will like SeaWorld, and Animal Kingdom just as much!  I can't wait for the trip, and we aren't talking it up much with the kids just yet in case we don't get to go but I know they will be excited too once we get there even though we aren't going on a plane (will drive) and that is what they most want to do!

Here is Katie petting the snake - unfortunately it is blurry but she was excited to tell me she touched a "slithery" corn snake.  Notice Katie is wearing a leotard and tights - she misses dance class and talks about it occasionally, but I really think she more just misses getting to wear the outfit!  

Now they are studying the nature unit in class and I don't know what all is planned, but we are going tomorrow on another nature walk at Bowie, this one focusing on mammals.  It should be awesome weather and the kid's are just excited that we get to see the "turtle that chases you" again (there really is a turtle in the nature center that runs after you when you walk by his aquarium)!  Today in class they had a "Harlem Shake" dance party.  I played tennis last night and Lance showed them a few Harlem Shake videos in preparation and they were practicing their moves this morning.  Unfortunately, I can't find Katie in this video and Tyler can be seen briefly looking like he is about to fall out rather than dancing but I bet they had fun!

Drawing Time!

The kids really love to draw and color these days and we just knew that they would enjoy a dry erase board.  We got one and despite it falling immediately after we hung it (we tried command strips - I guess we will have to figure out how to put the screws in) - the kids are loving it.  When I got to school today to pick them up Katie had written me (or dad, or Grandma - it kept changing) a letter and they are currently drawing everyone and everything they can think of - this picture is Tyler's self-portrait and a jellyfish person by Katie. It was promptly erased to draw (randomly) "Papa Lockyear" and "Baby Madeline."  Now they are working on a house and a picture of "Ray Ray" and I can't even get them to come eat even though they are usually ravenous by six! They are really enamored with letters and words and constantly want us to look at what they have drawn or written - and this way we go through less paper  :)! 

Everyone please keep your fingers crossed that they avoid the strep throat that has invaded their preschool class - yuck! Tyler's face bumps are getting a bit better and we want everyone to stay healthy - especially since Lance and I have a night out planned this weekend to pre-celebrate my birthday!  The kids are excited, too, about going to So-So and Ray-Ray's so we are really hoping that any and all germs stay away!!!

Over the cold weather!

I know that I have been anxious for snow, but now that it is pretty obvious that we will not be getting any "sledding snow," I am just ready for it to get a little warmer.  The kids wanted to play outside all weekend, and we did get out on Sunday to play with chalk, ride the jeep, and go to the park but Saturday was just very, very cold and we ended up staying indoors until we went to a birthday party at the Y.  They had a lot of fun at the birthday party and were able to burn off some pent up energy - but still had a lot more trouble winding down for bedtime than they did on Sunday.  There is just something about running around outside and playing outdoors that is really good for them and even better it really helps at bedtime.  We still have nightly bedtime struggles - they like to get up as quietly as possible (not realizing we can hear every move they make downstairs) and go to play together in the bathroom.  They take every stuffed animal they can find in there with them and I think the "game" is usually some version of school or them playing mommy and daddy.  We repeatedly make them get back in their room, but on days when they don't have an opportunity to play much it is just obvious that they are not tired (even with our later bedtimes these days).  Sunday, after our park adventure, they went to sleep relatively easily and I don't know if it was the promise of glow-in-the dark stars (they get one these days to put up in their room instead of stickers and love it) or finally getting to be active, but I bet it was a combination of both!  I let them ride their jeep to the park and unfortunately Tyler, who has been scared to drive it up to this point, finally chose to want to drive on the way there.  I say unfortunate because once we got there the darn thing died and wouldn't go so he still didn't get to drive.  It re-charged a bit while we were playing, though, and he was a big helper on the way home because he was able to help "push" Katie home in the jeep (it went just a little and he really did help get her up the hills).  He told me he is "really strong because I eat all my vegetables."

This was when the jeep was still going strong and they were having a ball "going fast" together around the neighborhood.  Tyler has a band-aid on his face (it's not a mustache - :)).  He has some bumps on his skin that he won't stop touching and the band-aids are keeping his germy hands off his face while we are home.  

In terms of potty training at bedtime they are doing great - no pull-ups since circus night and no accidents since that first week - woohoo!  The need to get up to use the bathroom did, however, start all of the getting out of bed nonsense.  The sticker chart that rewarded them for staying in bed worked well, too, but we found the glow in the dark stars in the dollar bin and thought they would love them and decided to give them those for right now instead of doing the chart since they have been begging for nightlights and this is a fun way for it not to be so dark.  They really love rewards of all types right now.  We were looking for a big dry erase board to put up in the playroom, but couldn't find one that was affordable so we picked up some arts and crafts supplies and coloring and activity books to help pass the indoor time.  Tyler finished his whole 5-6 year old Kindergarten workbook in one day and kept wanting me to put stickers on the pages he finished correctly and tell him good job!  Katie was drawing and painting pictures and then taping them to the wall and giving herself stickers as a reward for a job well done :)!  Positive reinforcement does seem to be more effective than other tactics we have tried!

We have a busy few weeks/months ahead.  My tennis season is starting up again (yippee) this weekend and with Lance still working on weekends I am going to have to try to find time to play with the kids (it really is fun to hang with them nowadays) and someone to watch them while I get to play for a bit too  :-)!  Lance and I both get a bit busier at work during the Spring plus we have more birthday parties on the calendar, and lots of fun Springtime activities to check out around town.  I really do want to get the kids signed up for soccer or gymnastics too, as I promised them, as well as another round of swim lessons and some tennis instruction by mom - but we'll have to see what we can fit in.  We have the Kindergarten testing later this week, but I don't think we will know immediately what their recommendation is.  Either way, my kiddos are getting big - Tyler is a whole inch taller than Katie right now (which is probably the reason I was asked twice yesterday at the birthday party how far apart in age they are - to which I always have to force myself not to reply with some variation of "I am not that crazy to intentionally have them that close together")!  In this whole process of trying to figure out whether they should or shouldn't start school I haven't really thought about how sad I am going to be when they actually are old enough for "real" school - whether that is this year or next!  One thing I have thought about - - - school dress codes, I can't wait for there not to be an option what they put on when we are trying to get out of the house each morning :)!