He Can Read

Guillermo marking up a catalog.

Guillermo read to us tonight!

He brought home an early reader book called "The Mess" and read the whole thing! He was pretty proud. He read it to me first at Maya's dance lesson and then at bedtime to Will. Mostly I think he has memorized the book, but that doesn't matter. He loved that he could read to us and seems excited to learn. I tried to take a picture of him with his book, but he refused.

Punk Rock Kid

Today was wacky hair day at Guillermo's school and Guillermo rocked it. I gave him a fauxhawk this morning and then sprayed it orange. He loved it and I have to admit, I did, too!

"I didn't have a wedding"

Awhile ago, Maya was admiring somebody's freshly painted fingernails. I don't think they were mine, but they could have been, and she casually asked if she could have hers painted too. I didn't have time and really didn't to start that habit so I told her finger nail polish was for older girls.

"For when you get married," she answered.

"Yes, for when you get married," I responded just a little bit uneasily but that was the end of that.

Today, I dropped Maya off at our friend's house so I could accompany Guillermo's class on a field trip. Maya's friend's fingers were painted a shade of cotton candy blue with sparkles. Maya admired them as I walked back to my car.

When I picked Maya up several hours later, her fingernails were a bright red, a not so pretty red, a somewhat inappropriate red, but she was proud. "Maya, your fingernails are pretty," I told her.

"I didn't have a wedding," she told me right away. "Pat just painted them. I didn't get married."

"I'm glad you didn't get married, but your nails look beautiful," I told her.

Field Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Guillermo went on his first field trip today and his first school bus ride, too.

I, of course, tagged along as a chaperone, but only after I asked Guillermo if he wanted me to go with him and he responded by hugging me and shaking his head yes. (Sigh. I love kindergarten.)

The chaperones met in the classroom to receive our group assignments. I don't know why I was so surprised since Guillermo is a boy, but when I looked down and saw the names of the kids in my group I said, smiling, to the teacher's assistant: "Four boys? You gave me four boys?" "They are really nice boys," she conceded.

And they were. They were great. The field trip was to a pumpkin patch that Guillermo and I had been to before with Will and Maya. It has a corn maze, animals, cotton fields, a few fields of pumpkins, tractor rides, a hay structure that features tunnels and slides and more. I think my group liked exploring the corn maze and picking cotton the most, though they also had a great time on the hay slides and tunnels.

Guillermo is still recovering from feeling sick earlier in the week so by 11:15 a.m. he was wiped out, as was another boy in the group. The two others were ready to run so the hardest part was keeping all of us together and happy. And, finding the best pumpkins. We succeeded in all of that.

Wedding Blues

Maya has been sleeping in her brother's room while Big Papa has been visiting but we moved her into our room tonight because Guillermo isn't feeling well.

After I read her books on my bed, she took notice of each of the photographs on my dresser and then asked where my wedding picture was. I pulled out the small picture frame that was hidden behind some books.

"Why do you like it so small?" she asked.

"It's a nice picture," I answered.

"Why wasn't I at your wedding?" she asked.

"You weren't born yet," I answered.

"Guillermo and I weren't born yet?"

"Nope."

"But I want to go to your wedding," she whined.

"I wish you could have been there," I said as I started to walk out. "I love you."

She just scowled. Five minutes later, she was asleep.

This is My Grandpa, Guillermo

Guillermo's teacher sent home a homework calendar at the beginning of the month. He is supposed to do three of the five activities a week and they are pretty fun. For example, one day he is supposed to see what melts faster, ice or ice cream. Another day he is supposed to draw a picture of a pumpkin, a moon and a bat. A few weeks ago, shortly after Will's father arrived, Guillermo was giddy over one of the assignments: Spell the name of a grandparent. It took him a minute to realize that he was named after Big Papa, but as soon as he did, a smile spread across his face and he thought he was so sneaky as he spelled G-u-i-l-l-e-r-m-o.

The next day, Will's father went with me to pick Guillermo up at school. When Guillermo saw him, his face lit up and he ran to give him a big hug. Then, he proudly walked him back Ms. Gage, the teacher's assistant in Guillermo's class, to introduce her to his grandfather, Guillermo.

Race Day

Guillermo, Me, and Maya pre-race

Guillermo and Me, post race

I did a super sprint triathlon this weekend and had so much fun. The best part: Guillermo gave me the extra boost to get me across the finish line.

The tri was a 250-yard swim, a 9 mile bike and a 2 mile run. I did most of it with Jennefer (and had a great time) but we got separated during the run. As I neared the last of the final long stretch before you turn to run to the finish line, I saw Will, his father and Maya cheering for us and a few seconds later, Guillermo joined me on the run. It was so fun for both of us. He was really proud to cross the finish line and he gave me a big hug when we were done.

Kid of the Day

Guillermo and Maya acting silly on will's birthday.

Since her first week of school, Maya has asked me repeatedly when she will get a chance to be the kid of the day. At her school that means that she gets to feed the fish, help pass out napkins at snack time, be the line leader, push the button in the elevator and do other fun things. Tuesday was her day, and she beamed when her teacher told her the good news. She must have had a good day because she was so wiped out when I picked up from school later that she couldn't remember one thing she did as the kid of the day.

Guillermo also told us that he was the attendance helper this week, but he couldn't remember what his duties included. He told me that previously he was the recess helper and he helped bring in all of the recess gear from outside.

Costume Party

Practing before the party

She still wants to be Super Girl when she gets older, but she had fun pretending she was Wonder Woman for a bit.

Guillermo's friend had a costume party birthday party a few weeks ago. Guillermo wanted to be a ninja again. We surprised Maya with this Wonder Woman costume I bought a few weeks ago. She loved it but didn't like that it was so short. She ditched the boots once we got to the party. Too bad for her. She's about at the last age where I will let her wear thigh-high boots.

October Leaves

We raked our first pile of leaves last weekend. You can see, the kids were thrilled. For months, Maya has been asking us to rake a pile for her but we didn't have enough until now ...