Ahoy Me Hearties: Henry's 5th Birthday Party

Having one's birthday fall on the weekend has the potential for a very long day.  What a great dilemma to have!  Henry did a pretty good job powering through but he was singing to himself as we headed home from grandma & grandpa's before church, a sure sign he was getting tired . . . and shhh!, don't tell but he did take a bit of a siesta at church.

Henry was very excited to have his first friend birthday party.  He was anxious for it most of the week AND as we were setting up in the room he kept reciting "Let's get this party started."

Henry along with nine of his classmates from the PreK rooms and some of their siblings came to his pirate themed birthday party.  The guy who is somewhat picky on what he wears was very agreeable to wear his pirate costume specifically made for the party.

The party was held in a room at Capitol City Christian church, where they go to daycare but in a different area . . so somewhat familiar but not really.

The party had a mix of activities and crafts from coloring a pirate mask and decorating a pirate patch to walking the plank, pirate bowling, and pin the patch on the pirate.  As always I was hopeful the kids could do the activities as a group but as some were taking longer than others to color their pirate mask it didn't quite go as planned from the start.  I appreciate the time some of the kids were taking to color and didn't want to disrupt their concentration.  I have learned to just go with the flow - and as long as the kiddos have fun it really does not matter what I think.

 

 

  
In addition to cupcakes there were "cannon balls" (whoppers), "catch of the day" (goldfish), and grapes on sword toothpicks.  All went over well though the party goers really didn't care how I themed the food. : - )

All the kiddos were very excited to see what Henry got for gifts.  I THINK I do know which gifts came from which child this time around and won't have to trouble check with anyone.


 

After the party we went to grandpa & grandma's for lunch and family gift opening.  What a day . .what a fun day!

Henry: Celebrating 5 years!

Henry . . .Oh, Henry.  What can I say about a Henry?  How does one even begin to describe a Henry?
The kid is one-of-a-kind, there is no denying it.

When Henry woke up this morning to use the restroom it was after 4:17 am and whispered "Happy Birthday" to him and replies back "Thank you".  What a sweetheart.  It's a nice change from some of his other personalities and attitude.  

Henry loves to draw . . and then the drawings need to be cut out.  His drawings aren't half bad either.  He is getting pretty good at designing his own simple lego creations.  He can entertain himself for quite a while re-creating scenes with cars, trains, planes . . .just about anything . . . with full narrative about what they are doing or crashing into.  He likes rolling his socks.  He likes flipping through books, Thomas the train (still), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, "slicing” people’s body parts with his hand, and has a new found interest in pirate-themed toys after his birthday party today! 

He can reach the security keypad on the door at daycare and likes entering the code.


A few weeks ago Henry came down with a virus that left him with a fever for a few days.  Henry watched more than his share of tv those days and since then has been going through tv withdrawal.  He tries to watch every opportunity he gets.  The boys are on a Scooby Doo kick during breathing treatments but Henry would watch it for hours if allowed.

We've been playing the game "what does X (insert word) start with?" and he does pretty good.  What does "dog" start with?  What does "library" start with?  What does "tree" start with?  We have a 3 card matching game that forms a word - he resisted the first night I introduced it but in the morning he was actively making words and matching the pictures.  He loves flipping through books and gets the concepts and context from the photos.  A few months ago he would write various letters upside down or backwards and write the letters in words right to left but things are starting to click.

It is amazing what he remembers and recalls after weeks; sometimes months of not talking about something.  He was looking for something at grandpa and grandma's the other day he hadn't played with in months.  

He has convinced me let him take a "break" from gymnastics.  I'm guessing it'll turn permanent but I like to call it a break just so it's not so obvious he won.  The beginning of the end started a few months ago when the PreK room was outside at the same time the school agers were outside at pick up time on a gymnastics day (Henry goes to gymnastics; Mike picks up Ralph later).  Henry was not too happy to be leaving when Ralph was oustide with him.  It was the first time this had happened . . .and it happened again the next week.  To keep him active he will be going with Mike and Ralph to basketball at least once a week.  He loves running up and down the court and doesn't do too bad dribbling.  I'm pretty sure Henry will be talented at whatever he is interested in BUT only when he decides it's "HIS thing".

Some things never change . . .He still is very opinionated about the types of shirts he will wear.  If I get lucky he'll wear a screen printed shirt but mostly solids or stripes will get the best reception.  Pants do not seem to be a big deal.  He is almost as picky with jammies - prints or characters are fine; not sure what causes some to be okay and others not okay.  He is wearing 4T shirts with a few used XS shirts (ie. some shrinkage); pants are mostly 4T/4.  He is currently wearing 9.5T in shoes.  He is a ways from learning to tie his shoes . . . even doing the starter knot has fallen by the way side.  He does insist on his shoes being double knotted ALL the time though and will untie his shoes when he takes them off.

We had a few good weeks of Henry staying in bed at bedtime when I started exercising at night but earlier this week schedules were messed up a bit and I didn't exercise at night.  Henry got out of bed more than necessary at bedtime . .just when I thought he might have gotten over that phase.  He has had to be reminded a few times this week if he gets out of bed at bedtime there is no tv during the next breathing treatment.

Henry is still 5-point harnessed.  There are no immediate plans to change that.  We won't go in for his 5-yr check up until his kindergarten physical in April.  He'll need those 4 months to gain weight but even though I expect him to be harnessed through most of the summer at the least.

Lights out at night are around 8:10 on a good night.  It's anyone's guess when he actually falls asleep.  On a good deal he'll sleep until 6:15-6:30.  He prefers French toast sticks or mini pancakes in the morning with a sausage.  His preferred fruits are clementines, mandarin oranges, pears, grapes, and apples.  Vegetables are hit and miss.    His favorite choices for lunch or supper are currently peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, hotdogs, and chicken nuggets.

Halloween Happenings!

There is no better way to explain Halloween 2014 as a plethora of activity.  There were so many Halloween activities the weekend before Halloween that it really turned into Halloween Week!  The weekend before Halloween also saw temperatures more like August weather so it was hard to not take advantage of the weather and activities!


We carved pumpkins on Monday, October 20 - a bit early but knowing the upcoming weekend would be busy I didn't want to miss the chance.  They both helped dig out the guts for a bit then went off to play while the rest of cleaned out.  They offered their opinion on what the faces should look like.  Ralph did help carve a bit this year.

The boys were Mario and Luigi for Halloween . . mostly because it was a good choice for a pair.  Someone wanted to be Ninja Turtles again but wanted to wear different costumes.  I vetoed the idea; if they were going to be turtles again they'd wear the same outfit.  They did look pretty cute as Mario and Luigi - the mustaches were too sticky so they were freshly shaved Mario and Luigi's.

The Friday before Halloween brought us St. John's Trunk or Treat for the boys followed by a Cub Scout Pack meeting with Halloween themed activities for Ralph.

On Saturday, Grandma took the boys to HyVee's Halloween activities in the afternoon.  They had a chance to paint pumpkins, trick or treat throughout the store, and decorate a cookie.  Mike and I took them to a Halloween-plooza event at Northeast High School that evening. They trick or treated though some hallways and played some games where they'd win a piece of candy.

On Sunday, they went to Southpointe Pavillions to trick or treat at various stores and take their turn in the bounce house followed by a visit to Abel residence halls to trick or treat on some floors and paint a pumpkin.

After a bit of break and supper we went to grandma and grandpa's church and Trunk or Treated.

On Monday, we went to Boo at the Zoo!  Since they were costumed we stopped by a few houses we wouldn't have had time to get to on Halloween.

We had a few days break then it was finally Halloween!  Halloween really was the holiday that almost didn't happen.  I thought the boys might be in a hurry to be picked up . . Henry did pretty good in getting his costume on; Ralph seemed to have started a new game on the Wii as I approached him room or just after I got there and we had to wait until he was done.  Finally get his costume on and we go to Grandma and Grandpa's. 

They had fun ringing the doorbell and trick or treating . . then went into the house and turned on cartoons.  We finally left and drove through Wendys on the way home.  The boys had to eat their jr. cheeseburgers and some fruit before going back outside.  Ralph ate supper somewhat quickly; Henry is never in a hurry to eat and had barely at 1/2 his cheeseburger in the time Ralph had ate all of his.  Ralph waited a few more minutes but ultimately he and Mike went out leaving Henry to finish his supper.  After some whining and crying he finally accepted I wasn't giving in and at the rest.  We got his costume back on and went outside . . .Not knowing where Ralph and Mike were I just started at the nearest house with its lights on.  When we got to the 2nd house, before anyone rang the bell, Henry declared he was done and ready to go home.  It seems Luigi was lost without Mario.

Fall Festivities!

This could also be labeled . . ."What we did during Lincoln Public School's Fall Break" since it is a little more appropriate.  We usually visit a few pumpkin patch type places but we could only squeeze in one this year due to other various conflicts.  The boys each took a trip at Fingerprints; Ralph during a school day out with his before/after school group, and Henry with his PreK class.  We didn't visit the pumpkin patch until the last day of Fall Break . . .here's what we did leading up to Tuesday.. . .

The Saturday of Fall Break (October 11) was the Pumpkin Run for Ralph.  We let him run by himself this year so he could run at his own pace which I'm sure he preferred.  Seeing all the kids in purple shirts it is hard to distinguish one from another.  I did find an orange hat for him to wear which turned out to be a good idea in finding him . .though he did get hot and carried it after while.  This may have been his final 1-mile run for awhile.  He has already declared that he does not want to do the Mayor's Run in May . . .

Sunday was the Disney Junior Pirates & Princess Showa at the Pinnacle Bank Arena featuring a story about Sophia the First followed by a story about Jake and the Neverland Pirates . . . (a little goofing around during intermission).

Monday brought rain, rain, and then some more which put a slight kink in our plans and we had to swamp some plans around.  We visited the Lincoln Children's Zoo to see the new red panda cubs which are being hand raised.

Following the visit to the zoo we went to the Amazing Pizza Machine in Omaha.  Mike & I rode go-karts with the boys at the same time which is why there isn't any photos.  This "ride" has been a favorite of Henry's since the first time we went.  I think he knows he is getting too big for it but still had to ride it.

Tuesday was the final day of Fall Break and, because it wasn't raining, we were able to go to Vala's Pumpkin Patch.  It was a bit chilly/windy morning but warmed up some as the day went on.  In hindsight there were better days ahead in October but it's always hard to make a good guess on the weather  It wasn't very busy either which is key at Vala's.

We arrived around 9:30 am and took our usual tour of the various paths away from the front gate.  We did venture into a "haunted house" or two we had not visited before.  We did take the hayride out to the pumpkin patch which we don't normally.  Ralph tried his hand at the paint ball.  We watched a demonstration of the "pumpkin blaster" (ie. using pumpkins as a cannonball).  Unfortunately it had rained so much the day before one of the trike tracks was too muddy with puddles for the boys.  We finally made it over to the bouncy pillows, duck races, and train ride after lunch. Most of us ran out of energy around 2:30 and decided it was time to go home!

 This may have been the first time Mike & I took more than one day off work and didn't travel too far from home.  It was good to have some family time!

Henry: Itty Bitty Sports Development

Henry spent an hour each Tuesday evening in September participating in Itty Bitty Sports Development.  It had been over a year since we participated in Itty Bitty Baseball.  I could tell an immediate difference with his current skills vs. his skills in June 2013.  I was also impressed how much better he listened to directions . . . at least the first few weeks.  The kids and their adult partner would rotate through stations that exposed them to various sporting skills - throwing, batting, catching, and kicking.
 

At the end of each session they would play a quick game of some kind - we got to play our favorite "Mr. Fox, Mr. Fox What Time is It?" once.  Then the kids would sit in a circle and each would say which station they did the best that night. At the very end of the session they would huddle up, put their arms in and SCREAM "ITTY BITTY SPORTS".  Henry's face would get red from his long drawn out scream.

(Unfortunately, Henry missed the last class of the session due to sickness.)

Ralph & Henry: 1st Hockey Game!

The Lincoln Stars hosted Waterloo Blackhawks on the afternoon of Sunday, October 4.  A 4:00 pm game is a rarity and a good time for the boys in that they wouldn't be up past bedtime.

The anticipation leading up to the game was far greater than their enjoyment at the game.  In their defense we went to the hockey game immediately following one of Ralph's soccer games so there were a few tired little people (one from running up and down a field for an hour; the other from missing his nap).

The boys did pretty good the first period; they enjoyed watching the zamboni.  Henry was ready to go by the end of the second period . .though we did hold out until a few minutes into the third period.  Ralph did a bit better but not much.

Unfortunately the Stars lost 1-4.

Ralph: 6 1/2 years!

Six and a half years?!  In reviewing last year’s entry for 5½ years there are many, many similarities.  Bedtime is still around 8 pm if there’s no activities; 8:30 pm is worst case scenario for the most part.  If we've had a busy weekend day bedtime may be before 8 but that does not happen very often.  By Friday he is spent.

 

Ralph is involved in many activities – may be too many but it’s hard to know what he’ll like and, in the same token I don’t want him to be behind peers in an activity if he decides to try it later . . . so he is sampling many now.

 

He is playing fall outdoor soccer with Capital Soccer Association.  New this season is that practice is separate from games rather than prior to the game.  He has games on Sunday afternoons and practice on Tuesdays.  This season is almost half done. 

He is in his 2^nd year of CCD which is on Wednesday evenings.  It has ended up being a small world again this year.  One of last year's teacher's was his teacher very briefly at Fingerprints; just after he moved up she left to begin her own daycare.  One of this year's teachers is the mom to a girl in his before/after school program.

He just started tiger cub scouts.  The first den meeting was a week ago Thursday and the first pack meeting was last night.  At the den meeting they boys tie dyed shirts; last night's activity was making water rockets.  The parents were separate from the scouts for awhile but we did get to see the rockets blast.  Ralph's had the right combination of water pressure and blasted far.  They will each meet once a month from what I have been told.  Today we worked on learning the cub scout motto, cub scout sign, and cub scout salute.  (Ralph is wearing his tie-dye shirt and showing the scout sign - hand not raised quite as high as described in the book but I wanted to get a closer photo)

 

He is continuing basketball – until the clinic starts back up in October he and Mike are doing their own thing; working on skills and fundamentals as the schedule permits.  Ralph is getting pretty good at dribbling a basketball in each hand simultaneously - the record is 52 times before one got away from him though the norm is closer to 20-25 dribbles.    I have received a few comments about Ralph’s basketball abilities so something is clicking in that area.

 

Ralph's eating habits are slowly evolving.

Cereal is still the top choice for breakfast.  He enjoys mixing his cereals.  Instead of enjoying just one at a time he will mix 2-3 different cereals in a bowl.  Current favorites are Foot Loops with marshmallows, Lucky Charms, Cookie Crisp, and Spongebob.  He must have been going through a growth spurt a few weeks ago – he had 3 bowls for breakfast one day and averaged 2 bowls for a while.

 

We are trying to broaden his palate.  Since Mondays are almost the only weeknight we are all home and not rushing to get to the next "thing" I have termed it “make a meal” Monday which means one meal is made and everyone will eat the same meal.  This could also be some of the reason Ralph eats multiple bowls of cereal for breakfast. 

He mostly eats hot lunch at school; on the occasion he brings cold lunch it usually consists of a ham slices on a hamburger bun (this is a recent change; had been a peanut butter & apple jelly sandwich), grapes, and fruit snacks.

He remains true to the clothing sizes:  Size 6 pants (smaller sizes in shorts if they do not have an adjustable waist); Size 6 shirts (S or M depending on the brand); and size 12 shoes make up the majority of his wardrobe.  The few times he has had to wear pants since school started he is not very happy with my decision and whines “everyone else is wearing shorts”.

Ralph was introduced to the idea of Pokemon cards this summer during "summer day camp" at Fingerprints.  I stalled in his repeated requests for his own cards even though he gave me suggestions of where to buy them. He finally received one from a friend about a month ago during a trade for a water gun and has 'earned' a few through various bribes.  He also brought home a girl's phone number last weekend because they were going to exchange Pokemon cards. He is being thoughtful in wanting to hand out cards to friends whether they have any to trade him or not.

 

His before/after school program play the various KidzBob CD's which Ralph enjoys listening too and likes to sing some parts of songs on his own.

 

He is just over a month into first grade.  Everything seems to be going just fine.  The teacher sends out a electronic newsletter about every 2 weeks; she has a website.  There is no excuse to not know what is going on! There is a color chart the teacher uses to show the kids how well they are doing.  Ralph tells me everyone starts on green and could go up or down.  He has done both – luckily going up more than down and going down has only happened once or twice.  He could use better penmanship.  He likes the various “specials” – gym, library, computers, music, and art. The first three weeks of school he came home with math homework every night.  He has gotten a bit of reprieve the last few weeks.  Starting September first he has to read for 15 minutes a day and work on "words" (spelling words and high frequency words) 15 minutes a day at least 5 times a week.  We try to stockpile those 15 minutes on the weekends as there really is not enough time in the day most weekdays.  This morning we read some of the tiger cub handbook together but then I caught him reading on his own and noted the time . . .30 minutes later he moved on to other activity.  So glad he is a reading fool and we do not have to force this "homework" on him; he does it because he likes to read and sometimes tells me he just wants to do it for fun. 

 

His schedule in the before/after school program is such that he is usually playing foosball or the Wii when I pick him up.  He is never very happy to see me and would prefer to be picked up later.  He has been warned to change his attitude or he will not be playing anything and will have extra time to read until I pick him up.  He also hurries through his homework so he can do the “fun” things.

Henry: Go Big Red!

Henry had his chance to attend his first Husker regular season game today. He liked like the idea of going.  He liked attempting to repeat the "Go Big Red, Kick them in the Head, Don't give them Roses, Give them Bloody Noses" quote big brother taught him but of course he put his own spin on it that had to do with other things that come from one's nose.  He liked the snacks we brought along.  He liked it when someone put water on his head to cool him off and didn't even complain his shirt was wet.  He was in amazement watching the balloons as they were released after the first touchdown.  He liked seeing Lil Red and spotting Herbie on the concourse when we went to the restroom. 

With a kickoff of 2:30 we knew there could be a challenge missing nap but he is so hit and miss with napping we took a chance.  Just before the end of the 3rd quarter he gave in.  Unfortunately we couldn't get a good picture but I think he was drawing some looks from the fans nearby.  The crowd become loud as a result of a field goal near the end of the 3rd quarter and Henry had a startled reaction that would have been priceless to see from behind.  We did leave just after 4th quarter started.

All in all I'd call it a success.  This is the first game inside the stadium I've been to in a long time; Mike has taken Ralph the two times Ralph has been. Glad I was able to be a part of this experience with all 3 boys!   I do apologize to the many feet I stepped on as we left the row to go to the restroom and again to leave!

Ralph: The 1st Grader!

On Sunday night Ralph mentioned he hopes his class is the first to go to lunch/recess.  I attributed it being fun things but he went to explain he'd have more time to learn after lunch.  I'm not sure why he didn't recognize there's more time for learning in the morning if he has lunch later but at least he focused on the learning part vs the eating/playing part.

Last night we met his teacher Mrs. Campbell.  We waited in line behind some other students to meet her.  She introduced herself to Ralph and asked him some questions.  Ralph had a very serious look on his face when answering her questions . . not quite the "deer in the headlight" look but close.  I LOVE that look.  We found his desk and he completed the check off list of finding his homework box, his coat cubby, and the table where he checks in whether he is having hot or cold lunch.  He spent some time investigating what was in his desk.  I honestly think we were in that room more than any other family.  Glad he enjoyed his time and is looking forward to the start of school!

This year Ralph choose to let me take him to school vs taking the Fingerprints van.  He also asked me to pick him up at the end of the day - a request I could not deny.  We started the day with dropping Henry off at 7:30 am. Ralph then asked if we could go to school.  He was anxious and ready . . .but had to wait until a more appropriate time since school does not start until 9:00 am.  After hanging out at home for a while we went to school and took some more photos.

Then we found some friends to take photos with  . . .

Then we found the line for Mrs. Campbell's class and waited . . .and waited. . . .  The bell finally rang and they disappeared inside the building.

Fast forward about 5.5 hours (they are dismissed an hour early each day this week), the bell rings and I wait for Ralph.  His class is the first to depart.  His teacher walks them outside and is available for questions . . and hugs.  Ralph gave her a hug.

As a special first day after school treat we went to TCBY, just Ralph and I.  He mentioned getting Henry earlier but there was a chance Henry might still be napping and I didn't want to interrupt it.

After we got home, Ralph did his homework - yes, homework on the 1st day!  He had a great first day and is ready to go back for day #2!

Henry: The Countdown Begins!

 One year from this date Henry will be a kindergartener!  Today he is beginning a new adventure in the PreK room at Fingerprints.  I'm excited to see how the next year unfolds.  I'm anxious to see him perfect writing his name, learning that letters go in a certain order and not just all over the page, and watching him write the other 21 letters in the alphabet a bit more easily.  He can write most of the letters just needs to perfect them a little more.

One year from today my baby will enter a new chapter in his life.  I'll be the first to admit he does get away with a bit more than he should because of his status as baby of the family.  He may get held a little more than he should (it helps he weighs around 34 pounds).  He may get umpteen chances to stay in bed at bedtime with hardly any consequences.  He may get hand fed just so he'll actually eat (remember he barely weighs 34 pounds).  Being the baby also means he is being expected to do things a bit earlier than big brother in some cases too . . . simple expectations but still things brother didn't do at this age but as long as one is doing it the other can do it too!

Henry got a daily sheet each day in the 4's room.  There are 5 opportunities to earn a 'yes' for various things like listening to directions and other good habits.  In the last couple of weeks Henry has gotten a few "X's" on the line between the "yes" and the "no".  I am hoping the move to the PreK room, in a new environment with new teachers will create more challenges and help him stay focused.

Henry loves looking at books and does very well answering questions relating to the pictures in the book.  He does well drawing conclusions from the photos in regards to questions asked about the book - so much so I actually think he is reading sometimes.

Henry has a great imagination and does great bringing characters to life while playing as he narrates the play.  He can recite very simple addition (2 + 2 = 4) though I'm not sure if he understands what is happening or just regurgitating information, things he has heard and memorized.  He also knows the days of the week and months of the year though I am pretty sure this is a memorization thing as it usually has to be sung out in song and not recited individually.  He can recite any number written down up to 100, maybe a bit higher, mostly reading the numbers from left to right though will transpose them once in awhile.   He can write numbers up to 10 but they are usually written backward - I hope that corrects itself this year and not some deeper issue.  He is animated when telling a story either with his arms or facial expressions.  His sentence structure may be a bit off but it's always fun to hear a Henry story.  He also likes to draw and will "help" you remember details.  I drew a house tonight and he let me know I forgot to put a handle on the door.  I think he is starting to find his singing voice - he kept singing "There was a Farmer Who had a Dog . . " and "Let it Go" tonight. I hope he continues to develop his voice as he seems to have good rhythm - something he did not get from me!

He recognizes most landmark buildings in Lincoln like the Capitol and the Pinnacle Bank Arena and will point them out using their full and proper name.  If the car is going a certain way or direction he'll tell you this is the way to so and so.

Henry is a tough one to crack.  In some situations he is the shyest guy ever, refusing to participate, possibly crying to get out of a unfamiliar situation; other times he is the most ornery, show-off, funny faced kid you have ever seen.  The other night he kept flapping his hands like a bird (not his arms just his hands with outstretched arms) at the Saltdogs game.  He was entertaining the others in the suite - most he did not know.

Today he wore brand new 9 1/2T TIE shoes though he has yet to learn to tie them.  Once you wear a size 9 in our family you must learn to tie your shoes . . .though somehow he got away with waiting until he had 9 1/2's (mostly because we got a good deal on a pair of 9's that had a velcro strap certainly not because he is the baby).  He is currently wearing 3T-4T shorts (nice that length does not matter since the waists can be too big in the size he should be wearing based on age so he can wear a size smaller though he sometimes gets made when he sees the 3T knowing he is 4), and 4T shirts.

Henry is  . . . there really are no definite descriptives that can fully describe him.  What may work one day doesn't always work the next.  Stubborn is usually one word that comes to mind but loving, comical, helpful, slowpoke, animated, self-entertaining, adventurous, and shy come to mind too.  While Henry is a popular name these days there certainly is only ONE Henry in our world and for that we are both blessed and thankful.