Sunday, May 31, 2009

Strawberry Picking

We went strawberry picking a few weeks ago and already we have nothing to show for it, except these cute pictures:






Friday, May 29, 2009

Tender-hearted Boy who Likes Small Groups

The school that Guillermo soon will attend allows parents or preschool teachers a chance to write something that may assist the principal with placing students in classrooms for the fall. 

One of Guillermo's preschool teachers wrote a few things about Guillermo. It was mostly sweet. 

Here are some highlights: 

"He seems to prefer smaller groups over larger ones, but he interacts with others well when he's in a larger group setting. He is very good with his abilities to share with others, compromise, and even meditate between friends."

"Guillermo is a very tender-hearted boy who cares for others very much. ... He has a strong sense of right and wrong and is very respectful to both his peers and adults. He has a cheerful disposition and a good sense of humor, but seldom is disruptive." 

"He can be easily persuaded by children with more dominant personalities and sometimes overpowered by stronger, outspoken personalities. Guillermo learns best with an even mixture of boys and girls, mostly with calm, quiet demeanors."

Kindergarten Roundup


Growing up. Done with preschool, almost ready for kindergarten.

Today is Guillermo's last day of preschool. If that's not enough for me, last night was parent night for rising kindergartners at the school he will attend next year. I fluctuated between pure excitement to sadness during the meeting.

The meeting was your typical "What to Expect When Your Child Starts Kindergarten" meeting. Some funny notes from the teachers: Make sure your child knows how to use a urinal (and tell him not to sit in it); and teach them to use a spork and open ketchup packets on their own. My mother has been urging us to teach Guillermo to tie his own shoes before he starts kindergarten. The teachers didn't mention that, but they did talk about how the kids need to know how to zip their zippers and button their buttons.

The kindergarten day seems pretty full. Only 30 minutes of recess time the whole day. Lunch time at 10:54 a.m. And, I'm disappointed that not only the dual language program will be delayed for a year (hopefully to start when Guillermo is in first grade) but it also appears that the Spanish class Guillermo is to have for 25 minutes three times a week likely will be eliminated for kindergarten and first graders next year. But, I'm excited about everything else.

Yay for kindergarten! Goodbye to our lazy mornings.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Easy Like Sunday Morning



We went camping again this weekend and this time, we were a bit more adventurous.

A friend organized a camping trip at the Eno River State Park for several families from our neighborhood. We were skeptical at first about going. We borrowed a tent so the whole family could go but we were wary of the hilly 3/8ths of a mile hike into our camp site. I have tons of fun childhood memories of our annual week- to 10-day-long camping trips, but we never had to haul our gear to our spot. Instead, we parked right next to our tent.

I'm glad we decided to go. Six families went. Saturday afternoon we waded in the river and climbed moss-covered rocks. Saturday we played in another part of the river and I took the kids for a ride in our friends' inflatable boat. We hiked, roasted hot dogs and, of course, marshmallows, and had a lot of laughs.


The best part of the whole weekend was snuggling up with Maya as I tried to put her to bed Saturday night. "I love you so much, mama. Like Sunday morning."

Thursday, May 14, 2009

I'm leaving

Poor Maya. 

Yesterday she desperately wanted Guillermo to play tag but he wasn't into it. As he played Legos in the car, she ran up to him, touched his arm and shouted: "Tag. You're it." 
"I'm not playing, Maya," he moaned. 
She did it again and met the same response. 
"Maya," I warned. "He doesn't want to play."
Again she ran up to him. Guillermo started to get angry so as she made another attempt I caught her in my arms before she could get him. 
Poor girl started to cry and then found herself getting angry.
"I'm leaving," she declared and walked down the driveway, headed for the cul-de-sac.
"I'm sad you're leaving," I said as she neared the road.
She turned to look at me and then took a few steps into the street.
"I'll be lonely," I said and smiled. She gave a little smile back but then kept walking. 
I called her name again and this time I blew her a kiss. 
And even though she was angry enough with me to run away, she stopped, caught my kiss and then blew one right back to me before she walked a little further and reached her final destination: the island in the middle of our cul-de-sac.
She played for a bit, stomped around for a bit, and a few minutes later came home. 

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Guillermo's airshow


Guillermo and Will walked into this cargo transport plane.

A few weeks ago, Will took Guillermo to the Wings Over Wayne airshow at Seymore Airforce Base in Goldsboro, N.C., about an hour away. Guillermo loves fighter jets and one of his grandfathers, Big Papa, used to the build them. At the show, they saw the F15-E demonstration team drop bombs and fire their machine guns and after burners. They also saw helicopters, the B-1B and the Blue Angels. They also talked to an A-10 pilot who was wanted to hear all about Big Papa's job building the A-10. Guillermo was equally excited to see the airman, soldiers and marines walking around. The show was so loud that Guillermo covered his ears with his hands. At home, Maya and I had a lazy day in the baby pool.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

Six years ago today, I learned I was pregnant with Guillermo. That was a pretty special day.

Today was even more special. 

I woke up at 9:30 to an empty house. Will kept the kids away until 11 a.m.! When they returned, they gave me cards. Guillermo made his at school. It featured a dumb droid, an assassin droid and General Grievous. Will and Maya also gave me card with a cute picture that Maya drew.  (Yesterday, we planted a gardenia and some flowers in honor of Mother's Day.) After some playtime inside, we went to TCBY for a free cone for me and then to the park, where Guillermo rode on his scooter and Maya rode her trike. For dinner, Fiesta Grill takeout, outside our house. It was a great day.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

I love s'mores

I took Guillermo and Maya camping over the weekend, and it was my kind of camping.

Originally, it was supposed to be a camping trip for just Guillermo and me, but Maya really wanted to come so she joined us. Will stayed home because our tent is just too small.


Our tent is the little one, in the middle of the normal-sized tents.

We camped at The Farm and it was sort of the kind of camping I grew up doing. We parked our car right in front of the tent so we didn't have to hike with our gear anywhere. The kids ran around and played and then we went to the campfire (made by one of The Farm staffers) and the kids made s'mores (one of my favorite treats, ever!) . The staff had also set up a few games like a beanbag toss and croquet that the kids played with later.


Getting ready to roast marshmallows

We almost had to bail on camping at bedtime because G got upset that he didn't have any stuffed animals (it was pretty late, past his bedtime. He needed any excuse he could find to cry) but our friends with whom we camped gave us a few of theirs. They finally fell asleep and I sat outside and enjoyed the night. Later when I went to bed in that tiny, tiny tent, the man in the tent next to us kept me awake for a bit with his snoring that made him sound like a snarling leopard.

The next morning, there were donuts, oranges, bananas and juice waiting for us when we awoke. I told the kids we had passed the test, we had made it the whole night camping so now we could buy a big tent for the whole family.